Observations upon the plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians. In which is shewn the peculiarity of those judgments, and their correspondence with the rites and idolatries of that people. To which is prefixed, a prefatory discourse, concerning the Grecian colonies from Egypt

\

I*.'

IP-

THE GIFT OF

HEBER GUSHING PETERS

CLASS OF 1892

5226

Cornell University Library
BS1245 .B91 1810

Observations upon the plagues Inflicted

olln

3 1924 029 290 470

Cornell University
Library

The original of tliis book is in
tine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029290470

OBSERVATIONS

UPON

THE PLAGUES

^, INFLICTED UPON

/'

THE EGYPTIANS.

IN WHICH IS SHEWN

THE PECULIARITY OF THOSE JUDGMENTS,

AND

THEIR CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE RITES
AND. IDOLATRIES OF THAT PEOPLE.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

A PREFATORY DISCOURSE,

CONCRRNina THE GRECIAN COLONIES FROM EGrPT.

BY JACOB BRJ-ANT, ESQ.

^ NEW EDITION.

LONDON :

IXJNTED FOR T.HAMILTON AND R. OOLK J J. OOLS, EDIMBirR.r.H ,

M, OGLE, AND J. STEVEN & CO. GLASGOW;

AND r JOHNSTON, DUBLIN.

;8io.

GEO. CAW, PRINTER.

PREFACE.

The following Treatise, together with those
with which it is accompanied, was written
many years ago folr my own private amuse-
ment and satisfaction. For I then had form-
ed no design of having them published to the
world. But since 1 have been induced. to
make my thoughts in some other instances'
pubUcj it has led mfe farther than I at first
purpbsed, and- given me encouragement to
produce these likewise to the World, that if
any the least good can result from them, I
may have the happiness. of seeing it in some
degree take places The principal subjects
which I have undertaken to elucidate, have,
I believe, been considered by me in a light
quite new. For I do not recollect that any
person before has followed the same mode of
A S

IV PREFACE.

illustration. Particularly in respect to the
plagues in Egypt, it does not appear that any
writer has observed that correspondence which
seems to subsist between the offence and the
punishment, as well as between the people
and their customs. It will afford me great
satisfaction if this correspondence should ap-
pear universally obvious and precise, and
founded in truth. As what I here present to
the public is a small part of a large collection,
I may possibly, if I live, venture to produce
other observations upon similar subjects, and
of a like tendency. For my chief labour has
been, ever since I have had opportunities of
reading, observing,^ and forming an Unbiassed
opinion, to do honour to the religion which
I profess, and to authenticate the Scriptures
upon which it is founded.

CONTENTS-

kJF Egyptian ttites, and of the Colonies by nvhich they

•were introduced very eitrly into Greece . Page 1

Concerning the Judgments of God in Egypt, and of their

Propriety .... 13

PART FIRST.
Of the Plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians.

The First Plague — THE RlFER TURNMD TO Blood 14?

Antiquity of Worshipping Rivers . , 19

The Peculiarity of the Punishment by this Plague 2 1

The Destruction of the Aquatic Tribes . . 23

Of tJu compound Deity Atargatis . . 27

Extent of this Worship, and its Fallaof . , 30

77ie Second Plague — FsOGS . . , SI

The Frog an emblem of Prophetic Influence . 38

—— esteemed Sacred from its Inflation . 40

Other Reasons for this Animal being a Sacred Emblem 41

The Third Plaguf^LlCS . ... 44

Of the Cinnim or Conim Lice, Sec. . . 49

PART SECOND.

The Fourth Plague— ^K.vi»ftvuu, or FlI£S . . 54

Of Flies held sacred . . . . 58

The Worship of Achor, and Acoron, the God-fly, &c. 59

' The true Place ascertained •where Ahaziah sent to enquire 63

A more determinate Proof of the Author's Opinion 67

Frequent Prohibitions of this Worship . . 69

The Miracle of Flies ascertained . . 75

The Fifth Plague — MuRXAIN OF BEASTS . 87

The Sixth Plague — BoiLS AND BlAINS . 93

vi . CONTElslTS.

Page
The Propriety of the Judgment . , . 101

TAe Peculiarity observable in the scattering of the Ashes 103
Tfie Seventh Plague — Rain, Hail, and FlRE, attended
•with Thunder . . . . 106

Farther Propriety in these Judgments . . HI

The History illustrated from the Climate and Seasons 116

PART THIRD.

The Eighth Plague — LOCUSTS . . . 118

Instances concerning Locusts, and their Depredations 122

Of the D-eities invoked in Stick Calamities . .■ 137

The Ninth Plague-r-PA-LPABLE Darkness >. 14r

Of the Adoration paid to the Sun,^and to Fiye . Hit

Night adored as a Primary Deity. . . . M9

Recapitulation . . . . l'S8

The Tenth Plague— DEATH OF THeFjSST-BORN 161

Of the Sacred Ordinance' which preceded- this Event 1'65

Conclusion ..... ITQ"

PART FOURTHf.

A Dissertation upon the Divine Mission of Moses.
Concerning this Divine Mission . . .1 75'

Of the Birth of Moses, and his •wonderful Preservation ;■

alio the Servitude of the Israelites in Egypt . 178.
Of Moses in Midian- . . . . 188

Of his being appointed by God to free his People . 192

Observations upon the Order given to Moses . 194

Considerations upon the Words I AM THAT I AM . 198
A farther Consideration . . . 202'

Conclusion upon this Head .... 204

Continuation of the Divine Intervie-O;, and an Account of

the i-wo Miracles exhibited . . 206

First, concerning the Symbolical Serpent . 209

Of the Serpents in the Wilderness, and of the Brazen

Serpent , , . - 212

C .0 N T E N T S. vn

Page
Objection to the true God explaining himself hy the Em-

blemt of Egifpt . , . 2 1 5

The true Purport of the Emblem . , 216

Of the Rod of Moses . . . 21'«

Comtming the Purport of the Second Miracle . 221

Ofihe Miracle to be renewed . . 2fi2

Of Moses an Oracle and a reputed Divinity . 223

Moses represented not only as an Oracle, but as a Deity 229
Of the Angel, uihich viithstegd Moses in hit •way to

Egypt .... 230
Of the Powers with -which Moses was invested .. , 232
ji short Recapitulation of preceding Remarks .. 234.
Objection answered . . . 239
Observations upon the Route taken by Moses and the Is-
raelites upon their Departure . . 241
The Encampment upon the extreme Point of the Red-sea 244.
Of the Israelites Arrival at Sinai . . 249
Their Attempt to get to the Land of Promise . 251
Of their Procedure after the Death of Moses . 255
Arguments from the Law jor its Divine Original 258
Farihfr Observations showing the Impiissibility of their

Laws being of Humifn Indention , . 265

Thfi Spirit of Tf'uth throughout apparent . . 268

The Argument still pursued . . , 271
Conclusion . . . . .273

Of the Place of Residence given to the Children of Israel

in Egypt, and of their Departure from it . 275

The Situation of some of the Places determined, upon, which

the History depends , . . . 277

The Situation of the City HeliopoHs more particularly de-
scribed . ... 2jS2

Of the City Heliopolis of the Desert . . 285

Of the City LetopoHs . . . 292

vili CONTENTS.

Page
Of the ancient City Sai's, and of a secondary City of the same

Name . . . . 295

Of the more Ancient City and Province of Sa'is . 297 ■

Of the Land of Goshen .' . . . 303

Goshen only a part of the Province , . SOS

Concerning the Purport of this Name . . 307

Different Opinions considered . , . . 310

The Departure and Route of the Israelites from Egypt 3 1 3

The History of their Departure, as given in Scripture 315

Concerning the Place of their Departure . 319

Their Journey from Succoth to the Desert of Etham 322

— from Etham to Phi-Hiroth . . 323

Of the Transit being at Clysma . . 330

Opinions canvassed , . . - 334<

The Alternative . . . 341

A Recapitulation of the whole . . . 347

The Transit . . . ' 353

Other Objections considered' , . 35s

Review of the Course taken by the Children of Israel in

their journeying . . . . 367

Further Observations upon the Phcenicon, or Grove of

Palms, as it is described by Strabo . , , 372

Conclusion concerning the journeying of the Israelites 378

JOURNIES OF MoNS. MoNCONYS AND OF Dr PoCOCK,

Journey of Monconys, in 1647, to Suez and the Red-sea 383
— • to St Catharine's, at Mount Sinai, p. 411. 385

-from St Catharine's back again to Suez, by

Tor and the Red-sea, p. 446. , , 386

of Pocock, from Cairo to Suez and the Red-sea,

by another Road, p. \iO. . . 388

-from Suez to Tor, upon the Red-sea, p. 138. 389

The distance of Elim from the Place ef Passage . SiQ^

OF

EGYPTIAN HITES

AND

OF THE COLONiZS BY WHICH THEY WERE INTRO-

I

DUCED VERY EARLY INTO GREECE.

As some of the evidences, concerning, the
religion and customs of Egypt, are taken from
those which prevailed in Greece; it may be
\ proper to prove, that these customs of the
Grecians were certainly borrowed from the
former country : and at the same time to shew,
at what intervals, and by what persons, they
were introduced. For if the rites, alluded to
were of late date, or doubtful origin, their au-
thority would be of little weight : and no just
inference could be made from them. But it
will be found, that a near relation subsisted
of old between the two nations : that the one
was in a great degree constituted by colo-
nies from the other: that these emigrants

came over to Hellas in times of very high an-

B

tiquity: most of them long before the sup-
posed sera of Troy, and became superior to
the original inhabitants. They brought with
them the religion and rites of the people, from
whence they came. We may therefore from
the stream judge of the fountain.

Of some early and particular

MlGSAnONS.

First, then, it will be proper to shew that
Greece, according to the traditions of the na-
tives, was in great measure peopled from E-
gypt. Diodorus Siculus tells us, that some
of the principal persons upon record among
the Athenians were from this ' country : and
that the Athenians in general were from '
Egypt. The Peloponnese was Tor the most
part peopled by Dorians : and the ancient
leaders of these Dorians, according to ' Hero-
dotus, were of the same original, and came
from the same part of the world. The Lele-

' Tiytntai St xai tui 'Uyiftmut tuicf Aiyv^rmt iT»^a. rag Aln-
iMHi. Diodor. Sic. 1. 1. p. 25. Rhodomanni.

* KjeCTBs Aiw'uw 5)1 9«ir(y ctvuKHf ttviti 'S.iiirin rm e| Aiyvvfry.
Ibid. p. 24.

^ <I>«(Voj«T» atv 2«vT8{ ii rati Lw^tim 'Hyefims Aiyvitritt dxyitiff,
Herod. 1. 6. c. 54-. p. 461,

ges were a very ancient, and a very large,
body of people. They spread over the coast
of Asia Minor : and occupied many of the
islands. They settled likewise in Greece, as
Megara. Lelex, supposed to be the chief
conductor, is represented as king of that place;
and is said to have migrated fj-om ' Egypt.
The same people were possessed of a large
part of * Laconia : and a Lelex is mentioned -
as the first ' king of that region ; which for a
time had the name of Lelegia^ Erectheus
was an ancient king of Athens, but of * Egyp-
tian extraction. As he was acquainted with
the fertility of that country, he in a time of
scarcity is said to have imported frorh thence,
corn for the support of his * people. Some
time before him Cecrops is said to have come
over; who, according to tradition, was the

Pausan. 1. I. p. 95.

- I A eAtym, i» uCpiKa/MyM., Xiyttrn JiicffiMvc-»i t% AtyuiKit,

Pausan. 1. 1. p. 106.

» Ibid. I. 4. p. 280.

^ Pausan. 1. 3. p. 203.

^ T<y t.^iyjiai Atyice-iy ta yeiro; Aiywirrin irrit ^ctriXivircu tat
Ah^ctun. Diodor. I. 1 . p. 25.
^Diodor.l. l.p. 25.

B 2

4

first king in Attica. He came frona ' Sais ill
Lower Egypt: all the Athenians were re-
puted to have been originally * Saites. After
him another colony was brought by Danaus,
and ^ Lynceus : both of whom, as the priests
at Thebes told Herodotus, were from a city
of that Name, called * Chemmis. Diodorus,
speaking of some very early persons, and oc-
currences, says, that in those times * Danaus
came from Egypt: and that ^ Cadmus arriv-
ed soon after- Some make Cadmus rather-
prior : and place Danaus third. Danaus ter^
tiam' duxit coloniam. Marsham. Chron. sec.
IX. p. 125- The place, from which Cadmus
led his colony, is said to have been Thebes

Ahftcts Tn; "eaaosJh;. Joh. Tzetzes. Chil. 5. Hist. 18. p. 9I.i

EyiSau lyei^ ctTro S«£»$ ^9Ae«; Atyu^rrs, recg A^ijv«$ cvMKKre. Is.

Tzetzes. Schol. in Lycoph. v. 111.

Ks»gs4', Aiyv^no; av m yoo;, fxyim r«$ A(i)v«;. Suidas.

* Aitiineiiii cfJToiKHs 'Sctirm Diodor. 1. 1. p. 24.

* To» y«g Actvaos x«( To» AwyxM (e^«r«v) Eovra; Xiftfiiras acTrXa-

cut s;t)i» 'e^x«^o5. Herod. 1. 2. c. 91. p. -144!.

■* EoTi OS Xififti; ;reX<5 fiSyxXn y«fts T» Qt^oiiiat. Ibid.
K«T« Ss TSTKj TB! Xi'"^ Aotvosof itpvyiii 1% AiyvxTif. Diodor.

1. 5. p. 329.

Ibid.

cellus, p. 158.

in Upper Egypt. Melampus came from the
same part of the ' world: whose companions
and posterity were stiled * Melarppodes : and
resided in the region of Argos.

Of the Rites and Customs imported.

These emigrants from Egypt brought with
them into Greece the rites and ceremonies of
the country which they ' left. Melampus
introduced the ■* Dionusiaca, and all those ob-
scenities with which they were accompanied.
He is likewise said to have first taught the
Grecians the mysteries of ' Ceres ; which
were equally base and impure. To him were
attributed the rites of lustration and expiation ;
together with the science of physic and the

' Herod. 1. 2. c. 49. p. 127. Diodorus Sic. 1. 1. p. 87.

» Pausan. 1. 8. p. 636.
. ' Herod. 1. 2. c. 43. p. 124.— c. 48, 49. p. 127.— c. 50.
p. 128. — c. 58. p. 131. See also Diodorus, 1. 1. p. 20, 21.
also p. 62, 63. and 86.

^ EAAign y»^ 3d Mi>Mftmsi in i iyiiF»fiitos T«t> Amiim to Tt

^eiXMv Mi/itf^sres m i x»niyi/t'»fitm- Herod. 1. 2. C. 49.

p. 127.

Tn'ZMaii mt Aiiv; Sottas; srin^o; vfitovfttyct. Cleiiiens Cohort^
p. 12,

6

art of ? ai^gury. Herodotus says, that almost
all the names of the Grecian deities came from
* Egypt. Diodorus Siculus, though he enter-
tains some doubts about many of these ancient
traditions, yet allows, from the eyidence of the
Athenians, that the Eleusinian mysteries were
imported in the time of Erectheus : and that
there was a great conformity between the re-
ligious ceremonies of ^ Attica and Egypt : and
a wonderful likeness between the people of
each nation. ^tVe may trace the country from
whence Cadmus came, by the mysterious his-
tory, with which his arrival was attended.
For it is said, that as he journeyed towards his
place of settlement in Baeotia, he was con-
ducted by a 4 cow, which had a lunar mark

* Apollodorus, I. 1. p. 90. edit. Heyn»,

^ £;^sS«v 0E KMi 7!u,n» to, Mitfuutu, Tut Sew s| A(yii7rK $AdXu^ e;

■r»» 'ea^«J«. Herod. 1. 2. c. 50. p. 128.

ng«; oi rovToif m tiM'^m hxi rot [Avrt^tcc roeuTus ms ^eit t«ts

rut xitr Aiyusrrav (sjiav fitTunvi^ecu, tows ?s Kn^vxcifTm Trttrt-
<f ogaiv. T)iv T6 Irii/ fttvcus ton 'EAAnvav »fi,yuu>, wet rais iSieiis x«j
T»(s nhriv ifiouTctrovi umi roig Aiyvjcrut; (loaj Ai/ivMUi). Diod.
1. 1. p. 25, 26. .

* AvtttTi IX, AiXip^t KetSfta rijv iTrt <fax.iu]i Sbj y£v«T» ttyifiai

TMS ^<|6M$. I7ti St lx»T8^«S T«! »"5 5rPlH»^«f 5T)|K2(»« £5ri(»«( AEVXOir,

iixHrfimt Kvuhiftvii 2sAi]»)j;, ojtots !») n-Anj));. PaUS. I.j9. p. 733.

on her* sides. But this, however inveloped,
means only that he was directed by an ora-
cle : which oracle was properly of Egypt.
For at Momemphis in that country was an
oracular ' heifer, which had thesQ marks : and
had the same divine honours, as the * Apis
and Mnevis in other places. The cow and
heifer were held universally by the Egyptians
in great reverence, as being sacred to ' Isis.
The rites of this goddess were about this time
brought into * Greece ; and were kept up par-
ticularly in Attica. In other places they be-
came in great measure effaced : but among
the Athenians her name was preserved, and
they used to the last to swear by ' Isis. In
short, the far greater part of the Grecian rites
and ceremonies was imported from * Egypt. ,

AtuKct Txfift ixofii^ii 5Tsji?rX»K»5 DBTt ftii>ti(- ScHolia 111 Arlstop.

Sctr^a^. V. 12S6.

' Tge^iTOi ^uMik £« h^d. Strab. 1. 17. p. 1155.

r^i^enu. Ibid.

* At Memphis and Heliopplis. Ibid.

3 Herod. 1. 2. c. 40. p. 122. 1. 3. c. 27. p. 208.

* According to Diodorus in the time of Erectheus. 1. 1 .
p. 25.

^ Diodor. I. 1. p. 26. Tn* Itru—^tfiitim.

Kiyviccuii iiri el VeirivafCivtf xv,i ira^d tstoiv EMuft; ^ifUtimtn,

Herod. 1.2. c. 58. p. 131,

Concerning the Times when these Mysteries and
these Forms of Worships were introduced,

It is manifest from what has been already
said, that the rehgion and the deities of Gfeece
were introduced in very early times : and they
must have been much prior in the country,
from whence they Were .borrowed. Hence
Sir John Marsham with the greatest probabi-
lity imagines, that they were established in
Egypt before the , time of Moses. " Festa
u^gyptibrum temporibus Mosa'icis vetustiora
fuisse merito videri possunt. This may be in^-
ferred from the times, in which these persons
are supposed to have lived, by whom the rites
were imported into Greece . The first Gre-
cian ' fathers have endeavoured to lower the
dates of these transactions, in order to raise
the aera of Moses,, ithat he may be found prior
to any history of Greece : as if truth depend-
ed upon priority ; and the cause of religion
were hurt by any foreign pretensions to anti-
quity. They however allow these emigrants
a very early date ; and place them many ages.

* Chroh. Canon, p. 186.

* See Just. Martyr, p. 13, 14. Tatianus Assyriui, p.
27*, S. Theop. ad Autol. p. 392, 3. and 39&.

9

before the aera of Troy : and still farther from
the first Olympiad. Eusebius, who studied
the chronology of the ancients with great dili-
gence, seems to come nearest to the truth.
And his system, however by some disputed,
appears in respect to these very early occur-
rences to be the best founded.

Among the various migrations into Greece,
there are three, which are particularly noticed
by him, and by other writers. The first was
under ' Cecrops. His arrival is by Ajrch-
bishop Usher, from the evidence of * Euse-
bius, adjudged to the year of the Julian period
3158, ante Christum 1556, and fifteen years
after the sera of Moses, which was P. J, 3 1 43.
His birth must have been antecedent. The
next colonies were brought over at different
intervals by Danaus and Cadmus. The for-
mer is supposed by the same writer, according
to the computation of Eusebius, to have left

' See Sir John MarshaiHj Chron. Can. p. 15.
» Chronol. p. 12.

In his time Moses flourished. K«t« h tbtoj Maucus ira^ "eS-
g««5 eyK»g((JeT«. Euseb. Chron. p. 27. Cecrops is referred to

the most ancient times, i^asree de T^igs-KV II^OjKd^ev;, x«i At/^;;)

xMi Zirifuiiivi, x*t i iitpvns Kex^a^', >"" ^'''.' Clemens AleXand.
.Strom. I. 1. p. 380.

10

Egyjst in the year J. P. 32 30 : ante Christum
1484, about seventy -two years after ' Cecrops:
and eighty-seven from; the birth of Moses.
Cadmus is placed somewhat antecedent, and
in the time of the same patriairch. But it is
probable, that he left Egypt more early : or
at least, that a colony of Gadmonians left that
country long before their settlement in Hellas.
For it is said of Cadmus, that before he came
to Greece he, together with Phoenix, resided
and reigned ih the region of Tyre and Sidon.
* K.aofJt>og zai ^oin^ pcto QjiCa tuv Ajyv^Tiun
e^sXdouTsg ng mv 1v^tot,v Tv^n xai "Stt^mo? sCafi-
Xsva-av. " Cadmus and Phoenix, after they
" had left Thebes in Egypt, and were arrived
*' at Tyre and Sidon, reigned in those places."
Now the Cadmonite is mentioned by ^ Moses
among the nations of Canaan, or in its vicini-
ty, as early as the days of Abraham. Hence
we may be led to form conjectures^ concern-
ing the great antiq^uity of this people.

There is likewise an obscure history of a

' Usher's Ghronol. p. 19.

Concerning these migrations see Diodorus Sic. Ecloga,
p. 921.

* Euseb. Chron. p. 27. Syncellus, p. 152.
' Genesis, xv. 19.

11

person named • Apis, who came from Egypt
to Argos : where he succeeded that anciett*
prince Phoroneus. From him the country is
said to have had the name of Apia. He
brought with him the learning of his country:
and was esteemed both as a prophet, and a
physician.

CONCLUSION.

Thus have I given an account of some of
the most early migrations from Egypt into
Greece ; and of the persons by whom the co-
lonies are supposed to have been conducted.
I am sensible, that these accounts are mixed
with fable ; and there are many, if not ima-
ginary, yet mistaken characters alluded to in
the process of Grecian chronology; upon
which there can be no just dependence. I
do not believe that any such persons reigned
at Argos as Inachus : or Phoroneusj av6^mrm
•x^uTog : or as Atlas in Mauritania, or as Hel-

' Jkvrm }i ^ti^»i Am»s TTiiet Tcit
n«A«i KixAiirof (parts MT^n x*^"'

\tiT^»ft»ms, irctif Av^fi'mtf xh"^

K, T. K .ffischyli Supplices, v. 266.

12

ien, or Deucalion in Thessaly. The history
of Gecrops and Danaus is to my apprehension
of another climate and sera. They were each
imported into Greece, and afterwards adopted
and ingrafted upon the histories of the coun-
try. Yet I make no doubt, but that persons
stiled Cecropidae, Dana'idae, Apidanei, and the
like, came over from Egypt : and though their
arrival may not be precisely determined,' yet
we may plainly perceive, that it was at, differ-
ent intervals, an,d in very remote ages. In
short, these colonies from Egypt were of so
high antiquity, that from the rites which they
imported, we may judge of those which pre-
vailed in the time of Moses. For they, who
introduced those rites, were of Egypt, and
either cotemporary with that lawgiver, or an-
tecedent to him. This will warrant any appli-
cation which I may sometimes make to the
traditions and customs of Greece, when I have
occasion to illustrate by them the rites and
worship of Egypt. In Hke manner, I shall
have recourse to the religion and mysteries of
the Sidonians, Tyrians, and Babylonians : as
they were undoubtedly of great antiqmty.

CONCERNING THE JUDGMENTS OF
GOD II#E^PT;

AND OF THEIR PROPRIETY.

PART FIRST.

Of the PLAGUES inflicted upon the Egyptians.

I SHALL now proceed to the great object,
which I had originally in view. This was to
describe the peculiarity of God's judgments
upon the Egyptians : and to shew how sig-
nificant they were in their operation; and
particularly adapted to the people, upon whom
they were inflicted. They would have been
marks of divine power to any nation upon
earth : at Nineve, or Babylon : in Carthage,
or Tyre. But they are remarkably pointed
in respect to the Egyptians ; and in every in-
stance have a strict reference to their idola-
try : such as cannot be so particularly applied
to any other people.

14

THE FIRST PLAGUE.
THE RIVER TURNED TO BI,OOD :

ExoDTO, Chap. vii.

Ver. 17. Thus saith the Lord. In this tkou
shah know, that I am the Lord: Behold, I will
smite with the rod, that is in mine hand, upon the
waters, which are in the river, and they shall be
turned to tlood.

V. 18. And the fish, that is in the river,
shall die: and the river shall stink: and the
Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the
river.

V. 19. And the Lord spake unto Moses. Say-
unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine
hand upon the, waters of Egypt, upon their
streams, upon their rivers, and i^pon their ponds,
and upon all their pools of 'mater, that they may
become blood; and that there may be blood through^
out all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood,
and in vessels of stone.

' V- 20. And Moses and Aaron did so^ as the
Lord commanded: and he lift up the rod and smote
the waters that were in the river, in the sight of
Tharaoh, and in the sight of his servants : and all
the watery that were in the river, were turned
to blood.

15

V. 21, jAnd the fish that "was in the river
died ; and the river stank.

This judgment brought upon the Egyp-
tians is very remarkable, and introduced with
great propriety, thpugh the scope of it may
not at first be obvious. It was a punishment
particularly well adapted to that blinded arid
infatuated people : as it shewed them the base-
ness of those elements, which they reverenced,
and the insufficiency of the god§, in which
they trusted. And this knowledge was very
salutary to the Israelites ; as it warned them
not to fall into the same, or any similar, ido-
latry J when they had seen it thijis debased
and exposed, and attended with such accumu-
lated evil. The Egyptians honoured the '
Nile with a religious reverence; and valued
themselves much upon the excellence of their
' river. Nor wa? this blind regard confined
to the Egyptians only, but obtained in many
parts of the ^ world : so that it was expedient

' OvIev ya^ ivra riftti (or isftiluiy AiyinmoiS) ii ' Nt(X<;. Plu-
tarch. Is. et Osir. p. 3S3.

* N8(Jio» TO* srosTsj* K«H er»Ti)g<« T»if jia^tt}. Idem. Sympos. L
8. p. 729.

* Bn «r8 KMi wTHfiat riftti. Maximus Tytius, cap. 8. p.
79. See Heliodorus, I. 9. p. 425. and 443.

16

for the children of Israel to be timely warned
against such blindness and infatuation. He^
rodotus says of the * Persians, that of all things
rivers were held in the highest veneration.
They worshipped them, and offered to them
sacrifices : nor would they suffer any thing to
be thrown into them, that could possibly pol-
lute their * waters. The like obtained among
the ' Medes, Parthians, and the Sarmatians.
We read in Homer of the sanctity, in which
rivers were held in Greece. Among these
more especially were the * Spercheius, Peneiis,
' Acheloiis, and Alpheiis. The last had al-

' ZsSorToSJ verctfUts fMt}^iT». 1. 1. c. 138. p. 69.
' Es itnctfiiDi Hi ovii itn^mci, cvn ifCTTTvairi, ov y,u^»s ttstiroiii^tyTciif
evii aiMet noivit vi^it^ari, Herod. 1. 1. C. 138, p. 69.

^ The two great objects of worship seem to have been

Fire and W^ater. T< fto; Sicvg«jU«r<«; x«r«AEyE(», »5 N«|»^«S<i)g«s

i1 TCI! Ni/MfCOIf Z»^X^M6t( ti 7tV^ O^iill tTO^il )) T6VS tlt^rXf) XCU THi

MriSiSi, xat tas M«ey»; ; ^vut it vvreut^a rHrag i AifUt AEyit, ^utv

ety»>^ftar» fiota to a-ug km vifnf noffi^ovTsj. Clerb. Alex. Cohort.
p. 56.

Parthis — prsecipua amnibus veneratic, Justin. 1. 41. c. 3.
Juratur ab illis,

Ignis et unda deus. Sidonius Apollin. carm. 2. p. 245.

* To this river Achilles had preserved his fine hair for an
offering. Homer. II. +. v. 142.

Es-i 5TK x-xi 5r6T«ft(»5 riftij, arvri^ Aiyvirritii -n^u; in Ns;Ao»—
«5 06TT»;k»i5 3-gi;T»» nnHfoy, — aq A(T«A«(5 jr^oj t»» A;gcXai<l, x. T. A.

Maximus Tyrius, Diss. 8. p. 79.

IT

tars^ and sacrifices offered to him in common
with ' Diana. The Phrygians made the Hke
offerings to the » Marsyas and Mseander.

But no nation carried their reverence to
such an extravagant degree of idolatry, as the
Egyptians. They looked upon their river not
only as consecrated to a deity ; but, if we
may believe some authors, as their chief na-
tional ^ god : and worshipped it accordingly..
The people above Syene stiled the Nile Siris, '
and * Sirius, which was the name of Osiris,

' AA^i^ai x«< k^Tifiiii ivmrtt fret lo; Zafuk. PaUSail. 1. 5. p.
412,

£t OTiffixM "Si i AX^si«; rn A^rifiiii ffiimpii'^uTtii. Scholia
Upon first Nem. Ode of Pindar, p. 321.

* <I>guy65, ii ■jn^i KsAasivas ti/*t/iivci riftari Tronkfiii out, Ma^rvett
K«( Mas(«»Sj»v— ^&t)i(»-i if^vyis «(! irttafMii. Max. Tyr. Diss. 8.
p. 87.

*-The words of Heliodorus are remaAable/ QioTf^cKurt

Hrm NtiXev Ktyortiui, xmi K^iimim rev Mey(«-o» oeyeari, avTiftiftef
*vp»>is Tct vaTetfioi iriftvniyt^oomg, .^thiop. 1. 9. p. 423.

* They were the Ethiopians.

Si^i; vn- Xi^tcTrm imKiif^irM. Dionys. V. 223.

Nilus — etiamnum Siris nominatus per aliquot millia. Pliny,
1. V. c. ix. p. 255.

Svigv)) ?r«A(( ftsax Aiyuwra k»i Adto^uts tm jru N6i^», fiii «»
ii/y6fi»veii ^i^'s i itniiiMi. Steph. Byzant.

2<i^n)« HKici. Hesych. and Suidas.

Zbjjwj HsXiDj. Orph. AVgohautics, v. 118.

T«v Ori^iy Zet^itv. Diodor. 1. 1. p. 11.

c

18

and the Suja: and upon solemn occasions
made invocations to it as their chief ' guardian
and '.protector. They supposed, that it gave
birth to all their deities, who were born upon
its ^ banks :• and that the Nile was particular-
ly the father of Vulcan, * H(p«<5'o?. Hence
there were temples erected to his honour i
and a city called after his ^ name, Nilopolis ;
in which he was particularly worshipped:
and there were * festivals and rites, stiled

"Sii^. ■ Sigo; i HXiei, Keti Yu^us, SuldaS.

0<rij(5 15-(» Ne(Aef. Euseb. Praep. Evan. 1. 3. c. 11. p. 116.
' UaTi^ci x«( 'S.env^a.. Plut. Symp. 1. 8. p. 729.

* AiyvTcrii Ztu, NsiAs. Parmeno Byzant. apud. Ji^enxum,
1. 5. p. 203.

Scholiast upon Pindar — Tot NeiXos xm ra Afos eptinv, tvniiti

HitXn (p»irtv, iti JJa^fiitav AiyvTrfii Zen, NeiAs. Pind. Pyth.

Ode 4. V. 99. p. 219.

— ; -mrciftov N8<A»>i, jrgos a xai Tsej rm &!ftiv yivtrus

vT«^|<asi. Diod. Sic. 1. 1 . p. 12.

* Diog. Laertius in Prooemio.

Vulcanus — Nilo natus. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. c.
22. p. 1241. Gronov.

^ NeiAa TreXi; (tiToi Ns(7i85ro>u{) AiyvarTM, K «( 'legov Viit>.»

verxfiis. Steph. Byzant. from Hecatseus.

Aiyva-riti ra/ NsiAa), I»jtii» Tsrtiv^tifiu -a-timg »«« ■sraireei. ^e^evrn
a-v^nntfilftti ct^tvn ru NeiXai Ar3«{ a; t« Ai< osSoucrH. Nonnl Syna-

goge apud Greg. Nazianz. cent. Jul. edit. Etonens. p. 168,
169.

19

' Neiloa Sacra, which were observed all oveir
Egypt. As they received so much benefit
from their river, they held water in general
sacred, as * Julius Firmicus has observed: —
^gypti incolae, aquarum beneficia percipien-
tes, aquam Colunt, aquis supplicant, aquas su-
perstitiosa veneratione proseqUuiitur;

Antiquity of this Wofship.

These superstitions, and ,this veneration for
the river prevailed, as we may presume, even
in the time of Moses. This may be inferred
from the like notions being to be found in the
most early ages among the Syrians and Baby-
lonians. The same prevailed in Greece^ Thgy
were brought over to the last region by colo-
nies from Egypt ; and appear to have been
of vefy early date. The ancient Grecians
supposed many of their kings and ^ heroes to
have been the offspring of rivers : and the
Sea, or Oceahus, was esteemed the father of

• Heliodorus Ahiop. 1. 9- p. 424.

* P. 3. I believe, iii many of these instances, it was to
the deity, from whotn the river had its nam*, that these rites
and honours were directed. Yet the Nile undoubtedly was
highly reverenced.

' Felias, Neleus, Achilles.

C2

20

their ' gods. This was borrowed from Egypt,
for the natives of that country esteemed . the
Nile to be the * ocean, and called it in very
ancient times by that name. They prononn-
eed it Oceames, or rather Oceanes — Clxiuvtig,
which by the Greeks was rendered ' Clxeavo?,
Oceanus, and from hence they deduced their
deities. There was therefore a great propri-
ety in the judgment brought upon this peo-
ple by Moses. They must have felt the ut-
most astonishment and horror, when they be-
held their sacred stream changed and polluted:
and the divinity whom they worshipped so
shamefully foiled and debased. And these ap-
pearances must have had a salutary effect up-
oij the Israelites; as they were hence warned
not to accede to this species of idolatry : but
to have it ever in contempt, as well as abhor-
rence.

* Clxtum Tt d^EAiy ycvEnv xxi juigrf^ae Tr,lvt. Homer. II. 1, f.
V. 201.

' 'Oi yx^ AiyvTrttm ^lofti^uirn tixiotni iHcei Tov mc^ uvTtii TrtrHfttt
Ne(>.«. DJod. 1. 1. p. 12.

' Toir ei -snTcifMrt »{Vi'^itr»'toi [M> ctcfta o°;^Eiv Sticuatif, is Sf <> iX-
M*Kt Q»e«v»{. Ibid. p. 17. From hence we may learn that
the rites imported from Egypt to GrCecs were of very early
date.

21

The Peculiarity of the Punishment.

It is to be observed, that God might, if it
Viad been the divine pleasure, have many dif-
ferent ways tainted and polluted the streams
of Egypt. But he thought proper to change
it to blood, Now the Egyptians, and espe-
cially their priests, were particularly nice an4
delicate in their outward habit, and rites : and
there was nothing, which they abhorred more
than blood, They seldom admitted any *
bloody sacrifices : and with the least stain of
gore, they would l^ave thought themselves
deeply polluted. Their affectation of purity
was so great, that they could not bear to come
within contact with a * foreigner ; or even
to haindle his clothes ; but to touch a dead
body was an abomination, and required to be
immediately expiated. Martianus Capella
mentions, that the priests wpjre sandals niade

' Porphyry tis^i niroxm. p. 168.

Nuni(]uain fas fuit ^gyptiis pecudibus, et sanguine, sed
precibus et thure solo placate deos. Macrob. 1. 1. c. 7. p.
150. '
nefas illic foetum jugulate capellae. Juv. Sat. 14.

* See Strabo. 1. 17. p. 11 54.^ — ^Herodotus says, Ovlt

Kutci^ii £«$ nTftj/ifMvn IaAi]vixi} fin^ai^ii ytvnrxi, Herod. 1. Zr Ci
1^1. p. 123.

of papyrus, to prevent as they walked any such
accidental pollution. Calceos praeterea er pa-
pyro subligavit, ne quid -ejus membra pollu-
eret mortieinum. On these accounts the
priests were continually making ' ablutions.
There were four stated times, twice in the day,
and as often in the night, at whicli they were
all obliged to bathe themselves. Many acci-
dents caused them to repeat it much oftener.
Hence this evil brought upon them must have
been severely felt : as there was- blood through-,
out all the land of Egypt, ver- 21- Prodigies
of this nature were always loolSfed upon as
very fearful. A shower of blood is supposed
to have fallenjiefore the death tof ' Sarpedon:
find was esteemed ominous, and foreboding.
When Dido is to die, Virgil makes the offer-
ings, which she was preparing, change their
nature : - ' ,

' Vidit, thuricreniis cum dona imponeret aris,
Horrendum dictu ! latices nigrescere sacros,
-Fusaque in obscaenura se yertere vina cruorem.

Though we may well suppose, that no such
prodigies really happened, yet the Romans

Herod. 1. 2, c. 37, p. 121.

* AtftKTtiririii Ss iJ/iaSas xunjcivif '5«^s. Iliad. II. v. 459.
, 3 Virg. 1. 4. V. 453.

23

had a notion of rivers being changed and cor-
rupted in this manner ; and also, that it often
' rained blood : and they esteemed these ap-
pearances as portents of great consequence.
The Decemviri were always summoned upon
such occasions; and the Sibylline boqks con-
sulted : and victims immediately appointed
by way of expiation.

The Destruction of. the Aquatic Tribes.

It is moreover said, that the fish that were in
the river dieHj aad,\the river stank, ver. 21.

' We have many instances to this purpose recorded in
Livy.

Mantua: stagnum effusum Mincio amni cruentum visum':
et Romae in foro Boario sanguine fluxisse. Vol. 2. 1. 24.
c. 10. p. -333.

Cruentam fluxisse aquam Albanam. 1. 27. c. 11. p. 628.
Sanguine interdiu pluisse. 1. 43. c. 17. p. 850.
Sanguine per biduum pluisset in area Vulcani. 1. 39. c.
46. p. 621.

riumen Amiterni cruentum fluxisse. 1. 24. c. 44;. p.
Aquas Cxrites sanguine mistas fluxisse. 1. 22. c. 1.
1 10^ — Many other instances may be found.

penitus sonuere revulsx

Tarpeiae rupes, atque atro sanguine flumen
Manavit Joyis in templis.

Siiius Italicus, 1. 8. v. 645.

24

The offensive vapour from the waters must
have been a great aggravation of the evil to
people of such external purity, as the Egyp-
tians, who abhorred all animal corruption.
And what the historian mentions concerning
the fish is of Qonsequence : for all the natives
of the river were in some degree esteenied
sacred. In many parts. the people did not
feed upon ' them. ' The * priests, in particu-
lar, never tasted fish ; and this on account of
their imputed sanctity. For they were some-
times looked upon as sacred emblems : at other
times worshipped as real deities. * One species
of fish was stiled Oxurunchus ; and there was
a city of the name, built in honour of it, and
a temple where this fish was publicly 7 wor-:
shipped. Nor was the veneration confined to
this place, but obtained in many other p'artsi
of '* Egypt. A fish called. Phagrus was wor-
shipped at ' Syene : as the Mseotis was at

' lx,ium h » infi slsri »«»■««•««(. Herod. 1, 2. c. 37. p. 121.
c. 73. p. 137.

* l)i(vm nx. airrmrcti. Glemensi I. 7. p. 850,.

nolv^vyyft. Strabo, 1. 1 7 . p. 1 1 66.

* Ibid.

.<»«& «iiT»», Su)|Mr«( ip«yj(>; TOf *)(fim. Mectartt h, (»^A«s

N 2.5

Elephantis. The ' Lepidotus had the like'
reverence paid to it: as had also the Eel ; be-
ing each sacred to the god Nilus. This is
ridiculed in a passage, which has been often
quoted, from the ancient comedian * Anti-
phanes : who mentions, that an eel by the
Egyptians was reverenced equally with their
gods. Another ^ comedian says, that they es-
teemed it as one of their supreme deities : and
he, at the same time, exposes their folly with

ojinj 'X^vs) '' Tuv EAEip»»T<»!)« tMntru. 0|ajay;j;(T«i (fi^mvfui rut
' %*>««; Kvrat i/t»ias i^Jlvu Clemens Alexand. Cohort, p. 34.

xitt TDv t-yx'^"'- '^i^i ^' TSTs? Moll Tn NaA* ?«w». Herod. L'
g. c. 72. p. 137. - ,

* Keci r aXha Sftvs; ^ari TV; AtyvTirrnis
£(»«(, T« ntfiinu T tnim tii> Ey;^EAvy.

Antiphanes in Lycone apud Athensum,
1. 7. p. 299.
3 Anaxandrides.

0»j5 «v ^viMfiVi e-ufifutfim vfUi tyu^

'iffcw, tm teX^vA&iv \i %t%y(fiTti vt)\ii.
Eav> TMffxvvEi;* lyu ii Bvt) TC($ 9w(;.
T)t> Ey;)2CAvv fciyi^oii iyv A»ifcc>ic,
'llfclif ii rat e\^«iv fivyifct itei^»it»>^v.

ixmx nZuif rvTrta o <y«>y
T' tv^ot lUCTiriiSnit iiiK »\ 'Kt&a.

Anaxandrides Comicus » IloXtri.
apud Athenxum ibid.

26

some humour. A Grecian is made to address
himself to an Egyptian : and he accordingly
says,? — " It is impossible for me to ride in the
" same troop with you : for our notions and
"manners are diametrically opposite. You
" pay adoration to an ox : I kill and sacrifice
" it to the gods. , You esteem an eel to be a
" very great divinity. I only think it the best
" dish that comes upon table. You worship
" a dog., I whip him handsomely; especi-
" ally if I find the cur purloining mj dinner."
These punishmeiits, brought upon the E-
gyptiaris, bore a strict analogy with their crime.
They ihust therefore have been greatly alarm-
ed when they beheld their sacred stream de-
filed with bloody their land infected, and them-
selves almost poisoned with their stinking dei-
ties. The evil "reached the land of Goshen ;
for it seemed proper, that the Isra,elites should
partake in it : that the impression might be
the stronger on their minds. One great rea-
son for this part of the punishment was to
give them a thorough disgust to this worship,
that they might n6t hereafter lapse into this
' popular idolatry. For it is to be observed, as
they were to be conducted to the land of Ca-
naan, and to the confines of Syria, that there

27

were many nations in those parts, among
whom this yvorship was common.

Of the Compound Deity Atargatis.

And here it is proper to ,|jike notice, that
there was a female deity, called Athor in E-
gypt : but in Syria ' Atar-Cetus, or Atargatis ;
and abbreviated * Dercetus and Derceti. This
personage was supposed to bave been of old
preserved by means of a fish : and was re-
presented one half under that form ; and the
other half as a '^ woman. She was esteemed
to be the sarnie as the Aphrodite of the Greeks,
and the Venus of the Romans : whose origin

' Atar-catus, or cetus, signifies the fish Atar. Catus and
Cetusiti many languages signified a fish.

* Pliny speaking of Joppa saysr — colitur illic fabulosa
Ceto. 1. 5. c 1 3. p. 260. This was the same as Derceto
and Atargetis.

AT«|y»n» fni ASa^ttt. Atargatis was the goddess Athar,
Strabo, 1. 16. p. 1132.

^ O filyelf xaJiUfievts lyfiuit — £» ^'^"B T*** x«T« Tun BetftwxAtj l/t-
vtmffiif 3e Tt)$ AifuetH; viixto; rarai cturvv. EratOSthenis K«-

r»i^i<rfttt lyfivq^ Some speak of more hshes ;than one. Schol.
in Arat. p. 32.

^ 'HfiK-eit fun yvn- va h i»etr»t sx ftn^an u; cctc^i m^eiSf ijitvt;
tv^n tcvtriinreu. Lucian de Syria Del, p. 884.

At IJierapolis she was represented inlirely in the form of
a woman, Tceime ywD. Ibid. p. 884.

28

was from the sea. In consequence of this,
wherever her worship prevailed, fish were es-
teemed sacred ; and the inhabitants would
not feed upon them. This was the case at »
Edessa, called Hierapolis, where Atargatis, or
Derceto, was held in particular veneration.
Xenophon, in his march through these parts,
observed, in a river called Chains, many large
fishes, which appeared tame, and were never
taken for food : the natives esteeming them
as * gods. Lucian tells us, that this worship
was of great antiquity ; and was introduce4
into these parts from ^ Egypt. The same

I

B«|uSiuui ?«;i($— »)> x«( E^srrnev, »eu tt^tn Tropin xof>i!js-(ii. fv i Ti-
f*a>ri Su^Mt ^ten, Tit» ATd^yotrit, Strab. I. 16. p. 1085. Kara
vnt va>Mi Seifiiuxni ipc^vii ittrit <eg«i. ^lian de An. 1. 12. c. 2,
p. 661.

Ibi prodigiosa Atargatis, Grsecis autem' Derceto dicta,
coHtur. Pliny, 1. 5. c. 23. p. 266. Theon tells us, that out
of honour to the goddess, the Syrians abstained from fish, — ,
•1 Svgi» iji^otn a,i!%%iiitau. S6hol. in Aratuin, p. 32.

Some say, that Derceto was turned into a fish.

'Oht aS' icrlmcri Ti»»v i^iivm Sugm.

Joh. Tzetzes. Chil. ix. Hist. 275. 1*72.

AvkS. 1. 1. p. 254.

^ De Syria Dea, p. 877. He stiles the temples — k^^mk
ju«; fKv»iM ('§». ibid. p. 881.

29

custom seems to have been kept up in • Ba-
bylonia ; but what was of more consec[uence
to the Israelites, it prevailed within their own
borders. ' Dagon of Ashdod, or Azotus, was
the same deity : and represented under a li,ke
figure as Atargatis. The same rites and ab-
stinence were observed also at Ascalon. ' Di-
odorus Siculus speaks of this city, which he
places in Syria, rather than Palestine ; at no
great distance from which he says was a large
lake, aboufiding with fishes. Near it was a
noble temple of the goddess Derceto, whom
they represented' with the face of a woman,
but from thence downwards under the figure
of a fish. The history of Derceto in this place
was, that she threw herself into this lake, and
was changed to a fish. On which account
the * inhabitants of Ascalon, and of some

' Cogitat, et dubia est, de te Babylonia narret
Derceti, quam versa, squamis velantibus artus,
Stagna Palsestinx credunt celebrasse figura.

Ovid. Met. 1. 4. v. 44, 45.

Manilius makes it a Babylonish history ;
Scilicet in piscem sese Citharea novavit,
Quum Babtjkniacas submersa profugit in undas.

^stronora. 1. 4. v. 577.
» 1 Samuel c. 5. v. 2, 3, 4.
3 Diodorus. Sic. 1. 2. p. 92.
^ Af« tiMi m Sv§»$ f'^Xi' ''^ "" tvjC'f'i*' 'TOTK T» ^an, *«i ri(MU>

TVS tyfivi if ^i. Diodon ibid.

39

parts of Syria, abstained from fish : and held'
those of the lake as so many deities.

Exftent of this Worship.

However strange this idolatry may appear,
yet we see how very far it reached ; and with
what a reverence it was attended. It was to
be found not only in Syria, which was suffi-
ciently near ; but in the borders of Lebanon;
also at Ascalon, Ashdod, and Joppa ; which
cities were within the precincts of the tribes
of Dan and Judah. These prodigies therefore
in Egypt were, very salutary and welj directed.
They must have had a great influence upoii
the Israelites;; and been attended with a per-
manent disgust and abhorrence. The fallacy
too of the worship rnust have been apparent :
when judgments were thus executed upon
these reputed deities : who could neither pro^
tect their votaries, nor defend themselves.
Whose priests and magicians were obliged to
sue to the servants of the true God to remedy
those evils, which the p6j)Ular gods were not

Alex. Cohort, p. 35.

• AsgieETss Se EiSos s» *«(v(x)j iSmTn/int. Lucian de Syria Dea,
p. SS*.

31

able, to avert. Herein were verified the ^ords
of God to Moses — Against all the gods of E-
gypt I will execute judgment. Exodus xii. 12.

I thought it might be, attended with some
utility to shew, what appeared to me to be the
purpose of divine wisdom in this judgment
displayed upon the Egyptians. For I cannot
help thinking that without this explanation
we see neither the extent nor the propriety of
the punishment. ^*.-^*f f^f.'ipf-e.^

THE SECOND PLAGUE.
FROGS.

Ch. viii. Ver. l . And the Lord spake unto
Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say- unto him, Thus
saith the Lord, Let my people go,, that they may
serve me.

V. 2. And if thou refuse to let them go, be^
hold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:

V. 3. And the river sliall bring forth frogs
abundantly, ISc.

V. 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say
unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy
rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over

33

the ponds ^ (or lakes) and cause frogs to come up,
upon the land of Egypt.

V. 6. And Adron stretched out his hand
over the waters of Egypt ; and the frogs; came
upy and covered the land of Egypt.

V. 13. And the Lord did according to the
-word of Moses: and the frogs died out of the
houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.

V. 14. And they gathered them together upon
heaps ; and the land stank.

This evil, like the former, arose from their
sacred river, in which thej so much confided;
and of^ whose sanctity and excellence they
were so much persuaded. Its streams by these
means became a second time polluted, and
disgraced, to the utter confusion both of their
gods and priests.' The land also was equally
defiled, and their palaces and temples render-
ed hateful : so that every native was infected,
and had no way to perform any lustration,
and to cleanse himself from the filth, with
which he was tainted. Every stream, and eve^
ry lake, was in a state of pollution. Whether
the frog among the Egyptians was an object
of reverence, or of abhorrence, is ' undertain:

• The wolf, A«»o5, was sacred to the God of Light, be-
cause at the appearance of the sun he retires.

33 ,

or whether it were not at the same lime both
hated and reverenced, as many objects are
known to have been among particular nations.
Of this we may be assured, . both from the
examples of the ' Greeks and. of the Ro-
mans. They worshipped many deities out of
dread, such as Ate, Proserpine, and the Furies :
and there were others, which they must have
hated and ' despised : witness, Priapus, Fatua,
Vacuna, Cloacina, and Mephitis. By this
last was signified stink in the abstract : which
had a temple at ^ Cremona. Add to these
Fear, Fever, Dread Force, * Calumny, Envy,
Impudence : all abhorred, yet personified and
wor.shipped. The Egyptians held serpents
in great veneration, yet they reverenced the
' ibis, which destroyed ' them. Whether the
frog was held in this twofold predicament

' See Lucian de Calumnise non temere credendo.

* See Lilius Gyraldus de Miscellaneis.Deis, p. 47.
3 Ibid. p. 59.

* Caluptnia, quam Graeci AiaCoMf nominant, et Impuden-
tisE, aras Athenienses consecr^sse, testis est Theophr^stus
apud Diogenianum. Lilius Gyraldus, Syntagm. 1. p. 37.

5 Herod. 1. 2. c. 74. p. 188.
« Ibid. c. 75.

' Invocant etiam l^gyptii ibes suas contra serpentum mor-
sus. Pliny, 1. x. c. 26, 27. p. S59.

D

B4

may not be e&sy to detefwine; Thus touch
is certain^ that it was very cotisistent with di-
vine wisdoto diid justice, to putiish the Egyp-
tians either by what they abominated, or by
what they idly revered. We know, that the
Sun, or Apollo, was the same as ' Osiris : and
We are informed by * Plutarch, that no ani-
mal was so little acceptable to this deity as a
frog. Yet he acknowledges that it was ail
emblem of the Sun in Egypt. And in the
same treatise he tells us, that the brazen palm-
tree at Delphi, which was a representation of
that tree under which Apollo was supposed to
have been born, had^ many of these animals
engraved at its basis. It was the gift of Cyp-
selus, an ancient king of Corinth : and Plu-
tarch mentions, that he and many others won-
dered, how these symbolic^ representations
could have any relation to the deity. And
in his banquet of wise ^ men, he makes Pitta-
cus ask Periander the son of Cypselus — Tnv

' Plut. Isis et Osiris, vol, 2. p. 372. Diod. 1. 1. p. 10.

ftlt.

CosTg«;4«» WKTgiSa, ji wJag syyg«fiKT6{. vol. 1. de Pyth. Ol^aCr
p. 400.

3 yoL 1. p. 164,

35

reason^ why those frogs ivert engraved in such
numbers at the bottom of the palm. To this no
answer is given : yet we may be sure, that-
both the tree and the animals had a relation
to the deity, by their being of old dedicated to
hirri. CM" this we may be certain, that the
^ag, like the tortoise^ crocodile, &c. M^as an
efnbleni of preservation in floods and inunda-
tions: also of lymphatic prophecy. And
Philastrius Brixiensis tells us, that it was held
sacred by the Egyptians, As to the palm it-
self, we may suppose it, on account of its beau-
ty an<J utility, to. have been made an emblem
of this god!, the same as Osiris: and that it
was originally an hieroglyphic imported from
Egy^t. For we learn from Hesychius, *
Ilccy.f^vTfig &sog Atywimogt that the^e Was an

' Some "Should alter it to naa^aXus: but that term had
been taken notice of by Hesychius before, and the place, in
which the word Ittehfuim is introduced, shews that it is
rightly expressed. Whence the Romans got the term Palma,
for the *»<»«! of the Greeks, is Uncertain. The tree may
have been so stiled among other nations ', arid perhaps by
the J^gyptiaris. Even among the Greeks netj^oi Signified a
prince; or, as I should suspect, a cofjqtierour. It came ^o-
bably from an old w^ord n«Xf«»i, Palma : aftd from; thence

D 2

36

Egyptian deity called Falmytes. This deity was
generally denom^tiated Hermes; and, accord-
ing to Apuleius, described with a branch of
the palm in his hand ; and leaves of the same
tree upon his feet. The palm is an evergf een :
and by this embleni was signified Victory,
Honour, and Immortality.

Though Plutarch tells us that the frog was
not acceptable to the Grecian Apollo ; yet we
may be assured, that it was a sacred represen-
tation in Egypt, by its being found in the
Bembine Table sitting upon "the water-hly or
' lotus : and that it was ; sacred to Osiris He-
lius. This deity wa§ sometimes described up-
on the same lotus, and in the imidst of .waters,
under the form of a newly-born * child. Both
emblems were of the same signification ; and
minted to the prophetic god Osiris j and to his

both fl«X|Kv?, arid na^fsaTus. For the Palm was certainly a
badge of Tictory. and honour.

rlla>iftvf, i Zaa-iMug.- HeSych. tiuj Il«A<KV$ eitptlTm. LyCOph-

ron, V. 691. ,

'' JablonsL I. 4. c. I. p. 161. '

* Plutarch, says, that the Egyptians described the rising of
the sun — meiimt vw/fnt y^nf^irag Ejr* Mtu »*i^»f»iui, as an in-
fant sitting 'upon the lotus. Tie Pyth. Orac. p. 400. Bui it
wa%/iot the rising of the luminary, but the renovation and
restoration of a person, stiled Melius, Sol : who had been ex-'
posed upon the waters, and preserved : >^hom the EgyptiaflS'
Called Osirisi'

37

preservation, when exposed to the deep. This
animal upon that particular plant is to be
found among several ancient gems.
' We may likewise be assured, that the frog
was sacred to Osiris Helius, from one of the
names by which it was signified in the east.
There was certainly of old a greater resem-
blance and conformity between the languages
of neighbouring nations, than exists at present.
And Bochart tells us, that among the Arabi-
ans a frog was stiled'-nTp Kura. From hence
I should be led to think that it was sacred to
the reputed god of light, who was distinguish-r
ed by this name. This is certain, that the
same term expressed Kv^ig, arid Ku^o?, related
to princes, and 'divine personages ; and parti-
cularly to the * Sun, or Osiris. In Greece
there was a place sacred to this deity under
the name of Apollo ; where was an oracular
temple, and * lake. The name of it was Kv'ppa,
similar to, nip, Kurrha mentioned above : and
he wasiii^consequence of it stiled Kvppoaioi, or,
as we express it, ^ Cyrrheiis. Plutarch informs

' Kv^tif A^X"'} Bee»Xiv;. Kv{(; et Kigijj Aiati;.- Tan yoj
'HA(«> 01 Hi^s-eii Kv|i» f^ly^rtt. HeSychiuS.

^ Vide Lutatium in Statii Thebaid. I. 7. v* 347.
? Quid tibi cum Ci"hi .'' quid cum Permessidos unda ?

Martial. 1. 1. epig, 77,

38

u«, that Cyrus the Great had Jiis name from
the same luminary — ' Kv^ov yug Ko.'Kiiv rag
Us^trug Tov "iiT^m : for the Persiflns cqll the sun,
^urus or Cyrus. * Ctesias rnentions the same
of Ochus, named also Cyrus : TtdiTat to ovof/ui»
aurs cMTo Tss 'Hhtx Kti§ov: He had /lis namefroT^
the sun, and wqj frgm hence failed Cyrus.

^n Emblem of Prophetic Influence.

It is to be observed", that most aquatic ani-r
mals in Egypt were sacred and emblematical :
and all inspiration of old was supposed to arise
from fountains and^streams, Hence in Greece
likewise the waters of Pimplea, Helicon, Aga-
nippe, Perrnessis, &c. were supposed to be
gifted with a power of .inspiration: The
Muses, whose original history came from Her-
mopolis, and other places, in Egypt, were
esteemed Prophetic deities, and denominated
from water,™^ KaXsvra; h M-Oua-ai a^ro rrig
[jbcaffiug. The Muses are denominated Jrom (an
Egyptian word) Mos. Phurnutus, from whoni

The word in Pausanius is expressed Kipp«, 1. 10. p. 893.
like iTip of the Arabians.

' In Artaxer^e, p. 10J2.
. ? Apud Ctesise Excerpta. See Herod. Wesseling. p. 821,

^ Phomutus de Nat. Deorum, § 14. p. 157.

39

we learn this, would interpret tjie word ' inr
quin/t and investigattQn : but it manifestly sign
nified water. To yet^ u^w§ f^m mo(4.»i^»(riv Atyv^r-
Tiot. The Egyptians, says * Philo, call the eh-
ment of water Mos. When Pharaoh's daugh-
ter gave name to Moses, she said it was, de-
cause I drew him ottt qf th^ ^ Waiter, 1% is some^
times expressed "* Mo : aiid is still to be found
in the Coptic version of the * Bible.

As frogs were of the aquatic tribe in Egypt,
and sacred to Osiris Helius : and as they were
engraved upon the basis of Apollo's statue at
Delphi, the seat of prophecy ; I am led to think,
that! they were originally chpacteqstics of the

' T^T — «3-» fcarijff, «W* ^itTKCMu ibi^. .The Muses were

supposed to have beeij water gymphs : and foj^ntaiiji^ were
sacred to them,

* Vol. 2. p. 8S.
? Exodus ii. 10.

4 Josephus expresses it Mqu, ^au. cpnt. Ap. 1. I. Cle-
mens does the same — t« yaj viae f*uv tftfiet^gnt A»yw»rTiw.
Strom. 1. 1. p. 4.12. ^^i

Scdiliger says, that the name of Moses was from rivo, ex-
traxit : and he, may be right. But Mos, and Mou, still was
the Egyptian term, by which water was signified : as we
may be assured from the present Coptic ; and from the tes-
tinaony of the writers above : aiid fiwa, Mosah was probably
to draw out of water.

* See Coptic Lexicon by Woide, p. 57, *:;; ,: . '.

40

priests, and prophets of Egypt : and that' they-
Were sacred to the Nymphs and Muses. Hence
an anonymious writer in a Greek, epigram stiles
the frog™ rwn Nojitipiwi' ^s§K7f'6vTa,y an attendant
upon the deities of streams, and fountains.

Esteemed sacred from it's Inflation.

Another. rea;son may be giyen for the frog
being an emblem of Apollo, and Osiris; also
of priests and prophets in general. All inspira-
tion was supposed to be an inflation of the
deity. Hence it was stiled i^itnvffn : and an
inspired person ifAvvivirrog, both from miai and
vrvsvfji.K ; by- the latter -of which is signified
breath and spirit. For all those, who were,
possessed by the prophetic divinity, are repre-
sented as swollen' and enlarged, and as it were
bursting through the overpowering inflation.
Hence ' Virgil says of the Sibil at Cumse

subito non vultus, non color unus,

Non comptae mansere comse; sed, pectus anhelans
Et rabie fera corda tument, majorque videri.
Nee njortdle sonans, adflata est numine qua;ndo
Jam propiore dei..

Now this animal is noted for swelling itself up
' Mn.lVi. V. 4.6. ,vJ '

41

by- infls-tion : andl^ence it probably became,
a representative of the god of inspiration ; and
of all those, who were divino spiritu afflati, et
deo pleni. For as the Egyptians borrowed
theiir emblems from moles, beetles, flies, and
the most contemptible reptiles, if they found
in -them any anailogy with the object, which
they wanted to express ; so it is probable,
that they adopted the frog for the purpose
mentioned above. Upon this account this-
animal was depicted upon the lotos to denote
the preservation of Osiris, the prophetic god,
when he was in danger from the waters. And
it was found, as we have seen, upon the basis
of Apollo's statue at the seat of prophetic
knowledge, Delphi : where was the princi-
pal oracle of that supposed divinity in Greece.
Above all things, these animals were particu-
larly natives of those sacred streams, from
whence inspiration was ^supposed' to proceed.

Other Reasons for this Animal being a sacred
Eiiibkm.

This inference seems to be warranted by
the author of the Apocalypse, who continu-

' Hepce the name given by HpmeT7^^»/irjy»ii«*»f. Batracom.

4? ,

ally.allude? to symbolical eharaeters, which
prevailed of old. In the i6th chapter, ver.
Ig. speakiiig of illusions, with which the
world was to be affected, he says, thai he saw
thre§ unclean spirit Sy like frogs, cojm out qf the
i^Quth of the dragon^ md wt of the mouth of the
b^ajiti an4 out of the mwth of the false prophet :
and ]3# ^d^—rfhey g,pe the spirits of devils^
working miracles, ^xmsi hence I should be
farther induced to think, that these animals
were pf old types of magicians, priests,, and
prophets ; particularly those of Egypt. If
tfeis be true, the miracle, which Moses at this
time ej^hibited, was attended with a wonder-
ful propriety in respect to Pharaoh an4 his
wise men : and at the same ^xx\& afforded a
just punishment upon the whole of that i^a&T
tuated people, quibus res eo pervenit, ut et
rm^ et culiees et formicge dii esse ' yiderentur.
There is another circumstance, for which
I should imagirie that the frog was in some
degree esteemed a sacred emblem In the east.
The ancients in all countries seem to have
shewn their gratitude to the deity for, any be-
nefit, by reverencing the animal, or the vege-
table, through which the blessing ' either ac-

* See Lactarkius de Qrig. grrpris, !. 2. c, 6. p. 135,

^3

crued ; or was pointed out. The rising of
the sun .made wild beasts retire. Hence a
wolf and a Hon were made emblems of the
sun's e^cacy : and were sacred to Sol, Mith-
ras, and Osiris. People, who trayejled in de-
serts, were generally much in want of water :
and it is said, that they. used to foUow the
asses of the wilderness, or trace their footsteps,
in order to arrive at the pools and fountains,
with which those animals were acquainted.
Hence the ' ass, and particularly the wild ass,
was held by many nations as sacred : and these
animals probably upon this account were ad-
mitted into the sphere ; where of old was the
oveov ^urmi, as we read in "Theon Upon Aratus.
For the very same reason I imagine, that the
frog was held in somef everence ; as the same
discovery rhust have been made to people in
distress by the n.oise he makes, and the indi-
cation he gives of water. Whe^ people in a
desert were looking ouj for' a pool, or a foun^-
tain, nothing could be a s^rer guide to the ear
than the cjroakiiig ,of these apiipals, which
may be heard at a grei^t distance. There i«

^n elegant epigram to thj^ purppse by an. wn^

.•f ■

' Minucius Feljx, p, ?6a

44

known hand ; which deserves well to be tran-
scribed. I have alluded to it before.

Tov vviifm ^sguTovTu, fiXof^S^iov, vygoi^ aoioovi

Tov fftt.yotnv xov<patg TigTOfAifov Car§ct^ov»
XaXj^w ffrn'kuira.g rig o^oi^pgog, iv^cg sdijxev

K.avfA>aTog> i^6^0TUTifjv df^pocv axiffffuf/uivog.
HXu^ofJkevo) yug sist^sv iiivg, itixoit^QV aniragj

KoiXa^og ex ^goffigrig afA^iSioi ffTO/AUTt.
(^uvfjv ^yriTzi^av oioiwo^og ex a'TroXBixav

Ext;S) xui fjLoi^a,!/ hil/aXstiv e<puysv.

Antholog. 1. 6. c. i6. p. 447- Steph,

THE THIRD PLAGUE.

■ , X. -

- ,"■* '
OF LICE.

Gh. viii. Ver. i6* ^nd the Lord said anto
Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and
smite the dust of the land, that it may become
lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

V. 17. And they did so ; for Aaron stretch-
ed forth his hand with his rod, and smote the dust
of the earth, and it became lice in man and in
beast: all the dust of the land became lice through-
out all the land of Egypt.

45

It has been mentioned that the Egyptians
affected great external purity : and were very
nice both iii their persons, and cloathing :
bathing and making ablutions continually.
Uncommon care was taken, that they might
not harbour any vermine. They were parti-
cularly solicitous upon this head ;, thinking it
would be a great profanation of the temple,
which they entered, if any animalcule of this
sort were concealed in their garments. It
would have been well, if their worship had
corresponded with their outward appearatice :
but, on the contrary, it seems to have been
more foul and base^ than that of any other
nation, as far as we Can obtain evidence.
Their gods, were coiitemptible, and ridicu-
lous : and their rites filthy ; and to the last
degree bestial and obscene. Yet they were
carried on with an appearance of outward
purity, and a scrupulous shew of cleanliness ;
in which perhaps they may have exceeded all
other people. Their delicacy in this respect
is taken notice of by Herodotus. Ecrdfira. 5e
(po^SHffi 01 '"is^ssg "Kinrjv ^^oi'Jji'.— Agam, eif/,uTt)t Ss
Xtvecc (p'o^iuffiv aiii veo'tXOru, ettrijieuavTii tsto (jijOL-
'KiiTTce.. The priests wear raiment of linen only.—
And the linen garments which they put on, are

4&

continually fresh iniashed: con^dfning "Which they
take particiilar care. Herod. I. 2. c. 3t- P-
120, 1 . The people in general wore a woollen^
garment over another of lin^n : but they laid
aside the forttief , wheft they approached thei^
deities, for fear, that it should harbour any
vermine, ' Oy ^snot s? fi ra Igct ^(ps^erat
ft^ivsa, ov^^ (rvyAaradcfTTTittti ffi^i- ov j/6i^ 0(rt6t>.
They neuer wear any wooUert garVdent^ when they
are to enter a temple: nor is any thing of thii
iort used in their burials: for it Would be esteem-^
ed an impurity. On this account the priests
abstained entirely from all woollen raimeiit^
and wore only one covering, which was of
1-i^ie'n : dnd besides bathing continually^ they
plucked Out all hairs and excrescences from
their ' bodies, and were carefully shaved ; that
they mi^ht not incur ariy impurity ^ '0< is

[it,}jfi OQEIPj fx,?irs cx.7^XCr fivifBi^dv fHfjOiv iFyivr,ru,t
&(pi ^i^ct-revsirt tsg Qesg. The priests, says He-
rodotus, m^e shaved, both as ta their heads, and

• Herod, 1. 2. c. SI. p. 141.

* Sacerdotes deglabrato corpore. LaGtaiif. de Falsa. Relig.
1. 1. p. 96.

47

bBdies^ every third day : to prevent any LOUSE,
»r any othtr detestable object, being found upon
them, when th6y are performing their duty to the
gods. Herod. 1. 2. c. 37- p- 121. The saffle
is mentioned by another ' author: who Mds^
that all Wodllen was foulj and excrementitious,
being an animal substance^ from a perishable
being ; which they abhorred. * To |g ?t<»o»
<pvstui s| aSUvteft Ttts yj'j%; 7\.it)jv de ^reo^s^ii Kai
>ii6&»^ut sir&iitiit — nUKTra, hs^du^oiraiov. But flak
is the pf-oduct of the immortal earth. It chords
a delicate and pure covering-^eind Js not at aU
liable to produce LIGE- We may from hence
see, what an abhoi;rence the Egyptians shew-
ed towards this j^orjE of vermine j and What
care was taken by the priests to guard against
them. The judgments therefore inflicted
by the hands of Moses were adapted to their
prejudices, and they were made to suffer for
their false delicacy in placing the essence
of religion in external, cleanliness, to the
omission of things of real weight. For with

'Plutarch ; who speaics of the priests as-^|«j»j»sv4»5 »a«
fiuinftfienii ift»^as v*» n fa/tic, shaved close, and equail^ strtooth-
ed all over their bodie^s. De Is. et Osir. v. 2. p. 3S2. D. Of
their wearing linen, ibid.

» Ibid.

48

pure hands they practised iniquity ; and per-
formed rites to the last degree foul and' abo-
minable. We^ learn from Herodotus and
other writers, that the most bestial; and un-
natural practices were carried on within the
precincts of their temples,, for which the neat-
ness and elegance of the sanctuary could
not atone. The judgment at this time in-
flicted was attended with such propriety in
its direction, that the priests and magicians
perceived immediately from what hand it
came. The two preceding plagues had been
antecedently mentioned to Phairaoh : and no-
tice was given concerning the hand, that
would inflict them; But , of this third plague
there was no warning afforded : yet the appli-
cation was too plain to be mistaken : and the
magicians said immediately — this is the ^finger
of God.

Such is the history of this judgment, and
of the consequences, which ensued. But as

' An Hebrew term, as well as an Egyptian ; by which
was signified the power of God. Our Saviour says, — If I
•uiiih the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of
God is come upon you. Luke, c. ] 1. v. 20.

O'^tfMi egy» Tim itmrvXett ir». Psalm, 8. V. 4.

4d

some have raised doubts about the means
which were used ; and have thought, that a
different object was employed, it is necessary
to proceed somewhat fatthcr'upon the subject,
in order to obviate their notions: for upon
this article the propriety of the miracle de-
pends.

Of the Cinnim or Conm (6'»J5) Lice, and of the
different Interpretations mistakenly given :
Exodus viiii.i6i

The uncertainty above mentioned has arisen
from the Greek version, where the original
word cinnim or conim, pediculi, is rendered
irxvi-Kii i which seems to be a term not very
commohi and of ' a different signification.
This insect, the ffitnip, or xwi//, has been vari^
busly described by the writers, who have
treated of it : though they all suppose it to have
been a species of fly. The best judges about
a Greek word ai'e the Grecians : and among
them • Theophrastus r and'he speaks of it as
a fly or gnat, which hurt the, vines andfig~trees.

But the plague in Egypt was upon man
and beast : therefore no such species of gnat
could be alluded to in this history* Besides,

* Hist. Plant 1. 4. c. 17.

E

50

it it were a winged and a stinging irisect, as
Jerome, «i Origen, and others have supposed,
the plague of * flies is unduly anticipated : and
the next miracle will be only, a repetition of
the former : for the very next is the plague
of flies. Hence 'Bochart very truly says —
Sed Grseci ffzvttuv nomine quicquid intellexe-
rint, hebraeo nomine, D"'i5, puto pediculos po-
tius, quani culipes, significari. — Mihi Occuri^it
nulla ratio, cur culices dicantui:; cinnim ; sed
pediculis hoc nomen vel maxime cpnyenit,
Taylor, Buxtorf, and, le Clerc agree with Bo-
chart; and interpret fhe word in the same
sense, cpdn^i^., sive pediculi, lice.

■» Eochart farther observes, that from the
Hebrew cinnim, or conim, came the Greek
words xmiu, and Kcvi^ii, which signify nits, and
small lice. From the derivative, therefore,
the sense of the original may be known. ,
* Hesychius accordingly, explains xmia, by,
^Ax^a, (pdu^ta, small lice. And the same in-

' Homilia Tertia in Exodum.

' Exodus, viii. 20. • '* , ;

^ Bochart. Hierozii. Pars Poster. 1. iy. p. 574. See the
whole Treatise de Pediculis.

* Ibid. p. 575.

' It is rendered xi»m» ; but is corrected by the learned'
Bruno. See Hesych. Alberti. p. 257. n. 10.

51

sects are described in theii first state by > Di-
oscbrides under the name of xevih?. He in-
forms us, (phi^Dig Ktxt xQvidag <p0si^si fjt,i'Ktri -xs^i-
^^la-Seiira xs^^oc, th.a.t the wood of Cedar, anointed
with honey, kills both lice and nits.

Josephus, as an Hebrew, must be an unex-
ceptionable judge in the case before us: and
he could not but know the general opinion of
the Jews in his time. In describing the Mo-
saic account of this plague he says—-* ^hi^uv
rois A-iy-v^ftoig i^rinSt^ffctv ocTrn^av ti ir\fj6og. There>
came forth all over the Egyptians an immense
quantity of lice. As the word occurs often
among the Hebrew commentators, it is by
them uniformly interpreted in the same sense,
as in Josephus, and they must have been the
best judges of a word in their own language.
We cannot, therefore, have better authority
to countenance this interpretation. 3 Bochart
accordingly tells us~4dem sequuntur Chaldaei,
Jonathan, Onkelos, Syrus, Samaritanus, &c.
— Hebrsei omnfis, nullo excepto* After these
proofs we cannot, I think, doubt about the
purport of the Word. '■ 7*"'-^^-

' In Libro de Melle. See Bochart above.
* Antiq. Jud. 1. 2. p. 109. Havercamp.
^ Bdchart above.

E 2

52

The disorder with which the EgyptiaiiSf
sre afflicted, was odious, and detestable in
■< nature ; as being in general the conse-
leiice of filth, and animal corruption j which
' all things they abominated most. This
xhaps was the reason, why the authors of
e Greek version, the Hellenistic Jews of
lexandria, gave another name to these ver-
ine, that they might not be guilty of any of-
nee to the natives. For they wrote under
e eyes of the Ptolemies : and their transla-
)n could be no secret to the 'priests of the
luntry. These were men of power, and in-
lence, who held their ancestors in great ve-
xation. It might therefore have brought
uch evil upon the Jews of Alexandria, as
sU as of other parts ; and no small odium
)on their sacred Pentateuch ; if there had
en published to the world, that the whole
idy of the most sacred order in Egypt, had
Lce swarmed with these detestable vermine.
lis, I imagine,: was the reason for suppress-
g the truth j and giving a different turn to
e history. The priests might look upon the
)llution of their river, and the introduction
frogs, with all the subsequent plagues, as
ea-t calamities. But the tradition about Lice,

53

if divulged, would have been an everlasting
' disgrace to their calling : an affront to the
whole body of the priesthood, as well as to
the nation in general ; and never to be for-
given. But waving this, we may from the
evidence above be assured, that by cinnim
were meant those noisome vermine, called by
the Greeks <p6u^iq, and pediculi by the Ro-
mans ; and m the English version. Lice.

' Josephus speaks of Pharaoh, as dreading the disgrace—

OF THE

PLAGUES OF EGYPT,

PART SECOND.

THE FOURTH PLAGUE.
}ivvofx,vtKi, or FLIES.

Exod. Chf viii. Ver. 20. And the Ij)rd said
tinto. Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the
water ; and say unto him. Thus saith the Lord,
Let my people go,, that they may serve me:

V; 21. Else, if thoU' wilt not let my people
go, bthold, I will send swarms offljesupon fliee,
cind upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and
into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians
shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the
ground, whereon they are.

V. 22. And I will sever in that day the
land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that
no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou

55

mayest know, that I am the Lord in the midst of
the earth.

V. 23. And I will put a division between
my people, and thy people: to-inorrow shall the
sign be.

V. 24, And the Lord did so: and there
came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of
Pharaoh, and into his servants houses, and into
all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by
reason of the swarm of flies.

We find, that Moses was ordered to accost
Pharaoh, and to disclose to him the will of
God, - at the time, when he was taking his
morning walk upon the banks of the Nile.
It was probably a season of customary adora-'
tion ; when the prince of the country shewed
his reverence to the stream, which was esteei|L-
ed so beneficial and sacred. The judgment
to be denounced was a plague of flies : and of
the same species, according to Bochart, as
was stiled by the Komans Musca Canina, and
by the Grecians " K<ji/o/Au<a. They were brought

' Whether the term a"i» denotes absolutely a distinct spe-
ci6s of fly, or swarms of all sorts, may be difficult to deter-
mine. The Seventy express it xmofuvnt.

Pe Terra Gosen — ««» 8r»( ske< n nwoftvi*. v". 22,

56

ill over the land in vast numbers ; and seem
;o have been not only formidable for their
iwarms, but for the ' painfulness of their stings,
IS well as of their bite, which was intolerable.
There is reason to think, that the Egyptians
lad particular deities to remedy stated evils ;
IS we may infer from the nations, who came
Tom them. They were similar to the heoi
imr^oTaioh and Dii Averrunci, of Greece and
ilome : and their department was to ward off-
hose natural evils to which their votaries
vere liable. The province allotted to several
ieities was particularly to drive away flies. I
lave shewn that many of the Grecian states
:onsisted of colonies from Egypt; and we read
jf Jupiter fjbviccy^ois fivioxo^ogj v-voi/^viog, all titles
ronferred upon this deity from a supposition
)f his clearing his temples from these insects,
^e was wprshipped under this character at

£(«■£, Ksu -oX^E x.m6fi,iLa. Plalm 1Q4. V. 31.

E.^«n'e?2(Xsv Esr' t^urm Koufuvicm, Kit> luni^V/Vi ecvTHi. Psalni
f7. V. 45.

The Vulgate renders it — Omne genus muscarum. Aquila
— !r«jMf4m«y, The like is to be found in the Syriac and Sa-
aaritan. — Cyniphen omnis generis : & omne genus mus-r
arum, according to the Latin translation.

'- Ovg Mt yssj «xgi$«iy x«i ftu(fti» (rmnriin ivi^fue. Sapient. Li=
>er. c. 16. V. 9,

57

Elis ; as Hercules was at Rome. The Arcadi-

ms also sacrificed to the hero * Myiagrus,

rom whence we may infer that the worship was

'ery ancient. The like obtained at Gyrene,

cohere the deity was stiled Achor, as we learpi

rom Pliny. — ^ Cyrenaici Achorem deum (in-

ocant) muscarum multitudine pestilentiam

dferente ; quae protinus intereunt, postquam

itatum est deo. From the supposed influence

if the presiding deity many temples were said

have been free- from this inconvenience.

Thus we are told by * Apollonius Dyscolus,

hat there were no flies seen in the temple of

/"enus at Paphos; and the altar of Hercules

GL the Forum ^ Boarium at Rome was said to

*
lave had the same immunity. The like is

aentioned of the altar of Jupiter at * 01ym-i

lia : and qf another at AUphera in Arcadia :

ikewise at other places,

' Airtfioif Au ^wnv HXfiai, Ve^fieuu $E A^t^viai 'Mja»X». Cle-
ien». Protrept. p. 33. See also Pausan. 1. 5. p. 4!lO.

* Pausan. 1. 8. p. 653. E» t«»t« tvi irxntyv^a Mvicty^u ?rj»-
lirii,' I7tivxtiiliu——xt^i lieHuchUftifoi ran Mvuty^oy,

* L. 10. c. 26. Salmasius would alter this — see Exerci-
it. Plin. p. 10. See also Pliny, 1. 29. c. 6.

* See Rerum Mirabil. Scriptores by Meursius. c. 7.- p. 14.

* Nam divinitus illo neque canibus nequ? muscis ingressus
;t. Solinus, I. 1. p. 2.

f Pavsan. 1. S. p. 410.

58

Of Flies held sacred.

>, »'But this was not all. These insects, how-
5 ever incredible it Tiiay appear, were m many
places worshipped. This reverence seems to
have been sometimes shewn, to prevent their
being troublesome ,« at other times, because
they were esteemed sacred to the deity. j^EIian
accordingly tells us, that at Actium, where
istood the temple of Apollo, they sacrificed in
his time an ox to these objects — ' QvH(n San
Tuig fjLviais. Clemens also mentions * AttoX^
Xmos Ts AiCTiis 70 h^oii, and speaks of the same
custom. The same is mentioned by Anti-
phanes the comedian in Athenseus, as being
practised at Olympia in Elis.

^ OXvf^Tiutiri (peta"! rctig Mvtutg ronit

Bsj/j Tovq T aKXijTovg '^^OK&rctxoTrTStv Tavra^s.

He seems to have introduced a person in his
play, who is speaking in favour of Umbra and
parasites : and thinks, that they are a success-
ful body. He compares them to the flies at

' JElian de Animal. 1. 11. c. 8. p. 613. ,

» Cohort, p. 34. 1. 24...

' L. 1. p. S. See Casaubon's Notes, p'. 17,

59

• Olympia, — to whom^ says he^ the people sacrifice
an ox: and they Always cldim the first * sliare,
though they are never invited.

The worsMp o/'achor, and aCoron, the
God-fly; called also zebub.

Nor did they only shew an idolatrous regard
to flies in general. There was a deity stLled
JDeus Musca^ who was particularly worshipped
under the characteristic of a fly. The god
Achor of Cyfene, of whom we before made
mention, sefefms to have been of this denomi-
nation : and it is probable, that the word
•Achor denoted a Fly: or had some relation to
it. This may be inferred from the city Aca-
ron or Accoron', which we mistakenly render
JEkrqn : where the same insect was supposed
to be worshipped by the name of 3"'^?, Zebub<,
a fly. We generally join it to the word Baalj
and represent the deity as the Lord of Flies in

' Whether the author means CAv^umaetnv U^r»n, or Ohoit-
TFiaiirt fivMti, may not be certain : but I should think the lat-
ter to be the truth. JEAiait mentions — fivixt Hiriutu. 1. 11.
c. 8. p. 615.

* There seems to be a dovible meaning: atid the words
may signify, that those, who are not invited, !^xe foremost, and
fare best'^iroxa w^ent^nuv, hene suocedere.

60

the plural. But to my apprehension it was
not so. And here it is proper to remedy a
mistake, into which we are led by our version,
concerning Ahaziah, who is supposed to have
enquired of Baal-zebub at the place above
mentioned. The fly was probably worship-
ped at ' Ekron : and the god was called Baal-
zebub. But neither that place, nor the deity
of the place, are referred to in that passage
about Ahaziah, where they are supposed to
be found. The history alluded to is in the
first chapter^ of the second book of Kings ;
where it is said that — Ahaziah (the son of
Ahab) fell down through a lattice in his upper
chamber, that was in Samaria, and was sick:
and he sent messengers, and said unto them. Go
enquire of Baal-zebiib, the god of Ekron, whether
I shall recover of this disease, ch. i. v. 2. So
it stands in our translation : and the Vulgate
is nearly to the same purport. Ite, consulite
Baalzebub deum Accaron. This Baalzebub
by our commentators is rendered the God of
Flics ; and they suppose the Ekron in Phili-

' A Baal-zebub hseresin format Philastrius muscx — Acr
caronitarum ; qui (ut verba ejus sunt) muscam colunt in civi-
tate Accaron dictd. Selden de Diis Syris, p. 228. All thesi,?
evidences sHew manifestly, that the fly was \^orshipped.

61

Stim to be the city here mentioned ; and thd
^lace, to which the messengers were sent.
But our most early version, the Septuagint,
expresses the term Zebub, in the singular,
®sov My/av ; distinct from the title BaaL And
at the same time it makes Accaron, instead of
a place, to be the proper name of the deity,
the Deus Musca, or FlyGod— ga-i^^jr^jo-arg sv
Tu 'Ba.otX (i. e.,«» r« U^o) BaaX) MD/ai/ ©eon A«-
xa^m. Go, and inquire in the temple of Baal of
the Fly-rGo4 Afijcaron. This occurs three times
in the same chapter : and these - passages all
shew that, accordingto the early interpretation
pf the Jews in Egypt, the person, to whom
the messengers were sent by Ahaziah was
Baal, Deus Musca, the deity stiled Accaron,
the Fly. Gregory Nazianzen, among other
writers, alludes to this passage, when he says,
that the people, shall no more put their trust
in idols, ' ahi ^rinfffovtri Mvictv &iov A«»a^»y|
nor seek, or inquire of the Fly-God Accaron. The
like occurs in Josephus, where he is giving
the same hisfory of Ahaziah, as has been af-
forded above. He says, that the king, after
his fall — - voff)]tratiTa 'irsfbipKi v^og rov Azxu^ut

' Contra Julianum, 1. 2. p. 1 02, edit. EtonenS.

* Antiq. 1. 9. c. 2. p. 474. If there had been any refer-

62

@eov Mviaity rsre ya,^ rjv ovoplo. tu ^su^— -being ill,
sent to inquire of Accaron, the God-Wly: Jor that
(Accaron) zvas the name of the deity. It seems,
I think, plain, that these writers did not ima-
gine the term- Accaron related to a place, the
same which we stile Ekron ; but to a deity,-
worshipped by that name under the symbol
of a fly. As to Josephus it is manifest past
contradiction,, that he speaks dat^rminately of
the term' Axxeigmi as the proper name of the
deity. On this account we may be assured,
that the reading in the next page is faulty,
where it is made to refer to a place Ekron and
its inhabitants— '-a-^o; 5s tov Axza^xviTuv STiy^Tts
va.^' avTH ^uvduvofjLsvoi;. It should be — rpog rov
Axxa^m g^TfjiATTS?, Tag' avrs Tvv6a,vo[jt,ivog, p. 475-
Tou sent to Accaron^ (the God) to inquire of
him, not to the people of Accaron, or Ekron,' in
Palestine. The ellipsis, as the passage now
stands, is too bold: and by no means warrant-
able. \

ence to a place he would have used the word with, the Greek
inflexion ir^n; ©so* Mviav Axxei^mcg, as his custom is in other

places

AgnjMTE! AKxa^mt,. '—fii}i^i iroAsaj A»x«|ayi)f. Antiq. 1. vi. ,

c. 1 and 2. p. 312, 315.

03

The true Place ascertained-

It niay be asked, If the message were not
sent to Ekron, or Accaron, in the southern
part of. Judah, to what place was it directed ?
I answer to Baal of the Tyrians and Sidonians,
whose temple and oracle seem to have been
about this time famous. The worship of thii?
deity had been introduced into the kingdom
of Israel by Ahab, the father of this very
prince, with .whom we have been so much
concerned.

1 Kings, ch. xvi. ver. 30. ^nd Ahab the
son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above
all that were before him.

V. 31. And it came to pass — that he took to
wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the
Zidonians ; and went and served Baal^ and wor-
shipped him.

V- 32. And he reared up an altar for Baal
in the house ofBaal^ which he had built in Sama-
ria.

Hence we find it intimated, that Ahab had
visited the shrine and altar of this deity at
Tyre or Sidon, and when he married a prin-
cess of that country, he introduced these fo-

64

feign rites into his own kingdom ; and raised
an house and altar to Baal in Samaria. But
the priests were all slain by ' Elijah; and the
temple Consequently deserted : and probably
for a time ruined.' When therefore Ahaziahf
the son of Ahab, who resided in Samaria,,
wanted to know about his recovery: he sent
messengers to inqliire^ not of Baalzebub the
God of Ekron: but of Baal^ (Biov Mviex.\ii the Fly-
God, called Accaron; • whose temple will be
found to have been at Tyre. To this interf
pr^tation the authors of the Greek version'
bear witness. Ka< aitiffTu'kiv. ayyeKs?, xai siiri
^^og- auTSig} liVTi Koci t<zi^riTfi^aT& iV'-ru BaeeX (i. e.
tv Tu is^o) BaaX) Mviou> ^sov Axxugtav, et ^^arof/Mi
iK T'/ig ag^aia-Tiug. And he sent messengers,, and
said unto them. Go, and inquire, in the temple of
Baal, of the Fly-God Accaron, if I shall recover
of my infirmity. The angel of the Lord gave
immediate directior^s to Elijah to go and meet^
these messengers, and td say unto them^ — E<
*a^a TO ff^ri sivut^^sov sv lo'^an'k v^Aig m^ive<r0e stti-
C^flTijtrat iv T&) B«aX Mviai/ @eo» Azxa^m. Is it,
because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to
inquire in the hope of Baal of the Fly-God Ac-
caron P It is repeated in the sixth verse* — E<

} I Kings ch. xviiil v. 40.

65

ffcti sv fa BaaX M.vtav ^lov Ajcxugtuv. The same
occurs, v. 16. We have seen that Josephus
accords with the authors of the Greek ver-
sion ; as does Gregory Nazianzen : and from
them we may infer that Accaron was the
name of the Deus Musca, who was worship-
ped in the temple of Baal at Tyre ; and that
Ahab was the first recorded, who applied toif
this oracle, when he fetched his idolatrous wife
from thai part of the world. From hence I
sTiould think, as I have before urged, that there
was not in this passage any reference to the
city Ekron in the tribe of Dan : but to a tem-
ple and deity belonging to the king of the
Tyrians and Sidonians. Josephus says ex-
pressly of the God introduced at Samaria —
• 'OuTog BaaX Tv^im fjv ^£05. This Baal was
a deity of the Tyrians. The original, as it
stands now expresses it differently. ^J733 i^m
IT^ ^'^'?N aiar •• by which is signified the God of
Ekron, or Accaron. But we have seen that the
fly was certainly worshipped under the name

' Ant. 1. ix. c. 6. p. 489. There was no city Accaron,
nor people called Accaronltse, in Tyre or Sidon; from whence
we may be assured, that the name could not relate to a place/ '
or people : but to a deity of the former city, r.^^

F

65

of Achor: and Josephus plainly intimates,
that ' Accarpn in the passage before us was
not the name of a place, but a deity, , the &sog
Muia, or * Fly-God : and that his temple was
at Tyre. The authors of the Greek version
seem to give the same interpretation : and we
may determine their meaning by the autho-
rity of those who copied from^ them. Such
was Zonaras, who speaks of this deity in the
feniinine — ' Notnitrmg hs w^o? ryiv Kxxu^m, ^iov
fivia? aii/dy^ffy^siifiv, imi^-^iv. If the meaning of
a passage can be at all ascertained by the col-
location of the terms, of which it is composed,
the interpretatiop. is as follows. — Upon Aha-
ziah^s being ill he sent to, the goddess Accaron^
which was stiled the Fly Deitij, This is cer-

' There was no Accaronitse here, nor any place stiled Ek-
lon, or Accaron.

* The deity in the original is stiled Baal : and Eaal-zebtib :
and agreeably to this Josephus tells us — ^"o Se Sses A^c&a B«s«a
ixeiMno. The God of Ahab (and we may presume, of his son,
Ahaziah) was named Baal. He adds-^'OuTos i B«*A Tv^mr

ir^tiptiTxs xTTtiu^i. 1. ix. c. vi. p. 448. This Baal was a Ty-
rian deity : to whom Ahab, out of tegaril to Ithobaal his wifit
father, king both of the Tyriatisand Sidotiians^ had raijdi a iem-'
pie in Satnaria and appointed priests.
2 Zonaras- Annal. 1. 2, p. 96.

67

tainly the meaning of Syncellus alsoj who
says, that EHjah upbraided the king — ' kjo-sht;,
!ta,t ^^nfffAov uTos'SiXettrK KetSetv tv * n^mhta [^viag
Axu^m — who was illy and sent for oracular in-
telligence to the temple of the Fly Ac^xron,

A more determinate Proof.

The whole, I think, may be most Satisfac-
torily determined by the command given to
tiie prophet Elijah. We find, that king Aha-
ziah had sent his messengers from Samaria.
Upon this, the angel of the Lord said to Elijah
the Tishhite : Go up to meet the messengers of
AkazidJij king of Samaria. This is rendered
by the Seventy— Jeo^o ng trwan^triit. Now Elir-
jah was not only of the kingdom of Israel ;
but more particularly of ' Thisba> a city of
Galilee, in the tribe of Naphthali ; where he

a

p. 190.

Instead of ai^aXuc I should read si^vxu;*.
, ^ It was sometimes expressed Thesba.
Qm^a, eta lit HAia; i &f<riiTts. Eusebii Onbmasticon.
Jerome supposes Elijah to have been bom there.
Thesba, unde ortus est Elias propheta Thesbitesv Hei-
ronymys de locis sacris, p. 23S.

Thesba, urbs Galileicin rejgione tribus Naphtali. Relandi
Palsestina, v. 2. p. 1035.

F 2

68

resided : though he is also said to haVe lived
sometimes among the inhabitants of ' Gilead.
But both Thisba, and the region o£ Gilead,
were far removed from Sainaria ; arid much
farther from Ekron. Thisba lay to the north,
and * Gilead to the north-east of thiis city of
the Philistines. How could the prophet be
sent to meei the messengers, if they v^ere goiie
to the south and south-west in a direction from
him ? For this was the case, if they went to
Ekron towards the extremity of Judah. But
if they werie sent to Tyre ; they were every
step advancing towards him ; and he could
easily go up and meet them.^ This was there-
fore the city, to which they were sent : and
the deity was the Fly-God Acaron, as Jose-
phus and others have assured us. There was
iiot a place from Dan to Samaria, from which
the prophet could have set out, and Confront-

' Elijah the Tishbiie, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead,
1 Kings, G. 17. V. 1. He was by relation or birth of Gilead;
but lived at Thisbe : hence He is stiled in the versions — ex
advenis, & ex inqtiilinis, Galaaditicis;

* Gilead seems to have been the whole tract of country
beyond Jordan quite up to Dan. See Deut. c. S*. v. 1. It
lay for the most part to the east and north-east of Judah,'
and the land of Israel : and was at- a gre?it distance from
Samaria. Ramoth Gilead was about thirty miles to the east.'

69

ed the messengers, had they been sent to the
land of the Philestim.

From hence it is manifest, that Josephus,
and the authors above mentioned, instead of
Ti'^K, the God of Acaron, as it stands now in
the original, read universally fi'?K, the God Aca-
ron, And this reading seems to be past con-
tradiction ascertained from the context, and
from the history given of the deity. The dif-
ference consists only in a small final letter ;
which may easily have been added ; and may.
as easily upon these authorities !>§ set a^ide.
Some manuscripts are mentioned by Dr Ken-^
nicott ; in which it i§ not found, We have
seen, that the context proves the reading re-
commended to be true : and we have the con-
currence of the Greek version, and of many-
learned writers^ for a farther confirmation.

Frequent Prohibitions against this Worship.

We have isuffieiently shewn, that in many
parts of the world flie§, were reverenced ; and
that there were sacrifices offered to. them,
Moreover, that there was a deity stiled Deus
MusCa, and Achbron ; who was worshipped
Vipder the semblance of a fly, This idolatry

TO

originated in Egypt: from whence it was
brought by the Caphtorim to Palestine: and
by the Phenicians to Sidon, Tyre,, and Byb-
lus : and from these places it was carried into
other regions of the world. The original
river Accaron, called by the Greeks, K'jfigavi
Acheron, was in Egypt. It lay to the west
of Memphis ; and on the other side were the
Acherusii campi, and Palus Acherusia, the
same as Mggris. Here likewise stood a city '
Achoris : where we may infer that the Fly
Deity was worshipped : for we know, that
among the jpeople of this country almost every
species of vermine was held sacred. They

' Lucan has more than once introduced in his poem, ^
person of Memphis, who was a priest, and named Achoreus,
; — — quos inter Achoreus,

Jam placidus senip, fractusque modestipr annis. *

Hunc genuit custos Nili crescentis in arva "

Memphis, yana sacris,'. 1. 8. v. 475.
Csesar is introduced as addressing him-- — -

summaque in sede jacentem

Linigerum placidis compellat Achorea dictis.

O! sacris deyote Senex. 1. 10. v. 174.
He was probably a pripst of the Gbd" Achor : and denomi-
nated' from his office. The temple of this deity I should ima-
gine to have been at Achoris, a city near the lake Maeris.
Ako^i; of Ptolemy, p. 121. mentioned by Sozomen, 1. 6.
c. 28. p. 257. and expressed A;K«g-

shewed a reverence, as Sir John Marsham
observes, not only to cats, and rats, and apes ;
but to grubs and beetles, — voluCribus, reptili-
bus, aquatilibus, s. 9. p. 156. Among these
were, as Lactantius tells us — culices et for-
micsE. Hence the children of Israel were in-
joined by the Mosaic law to hold every thing
of this sort in abhorrence.- Therefore^ says the

lawgiver, take ye good heed unto yourselves

lest ye corrupt yourselves^ and make you a graven
image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of
male or female. Dent. c. iv. v, 15, 16. And
he farther tells them, that this interdict did
not merely extend to the larger and nobler
animals, such as the steer, and the cow ; to the
crocodile of the river, or the stork in the hea-
vens : but to the likeness of any thing that creep-
eth.on the ground^ the likeness of any fish that is
in the Waters beneath the earthy v. 18. And in
respect to their food they are told — every
creeping thing, that creepeth upon the earth, shall
be an abomination, v. 41. Or whosoever touch-
eth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made
unclean — the soul, tJiat hath touched any such shall
be unclean until even, and shall not Cat of the holy
things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
J^evit. c. xxii. v. 5, 6. But notwithstanding

72

tbesfej prohibitions the childrea of Israel for-r.
'SQok the law of 'the:Lord: and the rites, which
they adopted, consisted in this symboHcal wor-
ship, introduced, feojn Egypt. They had pol-
kited the h-ouse of God by painting these vile
iiieroglyphics upon the walls of the inner
court; the most sacred of all. Hence Ezekiel
says, that when he was brought there in vi-
sion, he had a full sight of these abomina-
tions.— 5*0 / went in, and saav. and beJiold, &very^
form of creeping things and abominable beasts^
and Q.II the idols of the house of Israel, pourtray-
ed upon the wall round about, ch, viii. v. 10- In
all these accounts we have the idolatry of the
Egyptians alluded to : and their worship of
flies and insects particularly pointed out.

\i then such was the worship of this people ;
nothing could be more striking and deter-
minate, than, the judginent brought upon
them. They were, punished by the very,
things, which they revered : a.n4 though they
boasted of spells arid Charms,' ydt they could
not ward ' off the evil. They had, like the
Grecians, gods, aXfi||»«»(3/, «*OT^cTa;o<, avofjbviot,,
who, they thought, could ^vert all mischief:
and among these Isis Averrunca : but their
power wa^ ineffectual : and both the prince;

73

and the people were obliged to acknowledge

the inferiority of their own deities, by sueing

through Moses to the God of Israel. IntretM

for me, says Pharaoh. And Moses went out

from Fharmk) and intreMed the Lord. ■ Exodus,

c. viii. V. 30. ''.i. . ;

-The reason, why the • oestrum^ or cuno>-

myia, was thought sacred, arose probably .from

its being esteemed among many nations an

instrument of vengeance in the hand of God.

In the fable of lo this fly is sent to punish '

her ; and to maike her wander over the face

' It was expressed hythe Romans both oestrus and oestrum.

CE strum Grsecum est, Latine asiliis, vulgo tabanus vo-

catur. Servius in Virg. Georg. 1. 3. v. 148,

Naturalists in later timc^distinguished between the •(fj*?,
oestrum; and the ftuu^'h the. same a« the cunorayia. How-
ever the poets, and many other writers &peak of one animal
under both names, ^lian say^ T» fctn f^utiir* iftutt ^utrni tti
xxJa/iitii KutifivM. I. 4/. c. 51. p. 227; And they make the
myops the same as the oestrum.—- — Mu«i%p t»So; ftwwj — —

Qifptf- >ui>,yfi4tcs. HeSyCh.— ■— — MiHKiJ' mtfefttltg Tft itvUfiVUf.

Schol. in Odyss. x- ^- 299. In the Prometheus of

^schylus the myops and oestrum are thrbiighout used as sy-
nonymous.

- See Bochart Hierozoic. v. 2. 1. iv. p. 547.

? Henee she is made to say, :

' . -T — r«r{«5rA)i| ly*

M*f>Yf 0EIH( yni' TTft yr,g thttmtfteu.,

^schyl. Prometh. p. 32. Tumeb.

74

of the earth. And when Bellerophon was
supposed to have rashly mounted the winged
horse ; and to have tried to pass to heaven,
this fly was ' sent, which by rendering the
horse unruly, brought him soon to the earth.
The like Calamity happened to * Ampelus,
the favourite of Bacchus. He was by the
same means thrown down to the ground from
a sacred bull, and killed, through the jealousy
of Selene. As it was supposed to be sent at
the will of heaven, people metaphorically stil-
ed any divine, and any extravagant impulse, an
oestrum. Hence Orpheus, having been forced
for a long time to be in a state of wanderings
says that he was at last by means of his mother
CalUope freed from that madness.

M>i7'/i§ >if/^i7e^>j. — Qrph. Argonaut, v. lOl.

The bite or puncture of this insect was terri-^
ble : hence people's fears increased their re-r
ver^nce, especially when it was esteemed a
niessenger of the gods.

Bsx;i6|o^(>vT«». Schol. in Homerum,'!. 6. v. 155. The story
taken from Asclepiades, the tragedian.

K«M «i B-eftB-e fiviii7r» Sosj-irjoii — ^Nonni pionys.L xi. p. 19S(.

75

The Miracle of the Flies ascertained.

The land of Egypt being annually ovei^flow-
ed was on that account pestered with swarms
of ffies. They were so troublesome, that the
people, as ' Herodotus assures us, were in many
places forced to lie on the tops of their houses,
which were flat: where they were obliged ta
cover themselves with a network, called by
Juvenal ' Conopeum. This is described by
the scholiast as — linum tenuissimis maculis
nexum : a knitting togetlier of line into very fine
meshes. As the country abounded thus with
these insects, the judgment which the people
suffered might bethqught to have been brought
about by natural means. For both the soil
and climate were adapted to the production
of frogs, and flies, and other vermin : and they
certainly did produce them in abundance.
All this may be granted : and yet such is the
texture of the holy scriptures, and these great
events were by divine appointment so circum-
stanced, that the objectiori may be easily shewn
to be idle : and that norie pf these evils cjbuld

» L. 2. c. 95. p. 146.

* Ut testudineo tibi, Lenttile, Conopep. Sat. 6. v. 80,
So called from Kftinan}', a gnat, or fly.

76

have been brought about in the ordinary
course of things. Whoever considers the his-
tory, as it is afforded us, will be obliged to de-
termine, as the priests did, and say in every
instance — this was the finger of God. In re-
spect to the flies, they must have been brought
upon the country miraculotisly on account o,f
the time of y6ar. These insects breed chiefly
in marshy places, when the waters decrease in
summer, and autumn, and where moisture still
abounds. Now this season in Egypt was in
September and October, after the subsiding of
the river, For the Nile began to rise in June,
when the sun was in Cancer : but its increase
was more apparent, in the next month, when
the sun was in ' Leo : and about the end of

' Incipit crescere luna nova, quaecunque post solstitlum
est, sensim modiceque, sole Cancrum transeunte, abundan-
tissime autem Leonem. Pliny, vol. 1. 1. 5. p. 256.

HHi E7' Ixieroy ifii^ds TTihccrcig St e; rev xfiifiav mriav rat ifupian

ime-a «ff!j;BBT»(.-^Herod. 1. 2. c. 19. p. 112. ^gyptum Ni-
lus irrigat, & cum tota sestate obrutam oppietamque tenuit,
cum recedit, mollitos atque oblimatos agros ad serendum re-
linquit. Cicero de Nat. Deer. 1. 2. c. 52. p. 1230.

As the chief increase of the Nile was, when the sun was
passing through Leo ; the Egyptians made the lion a type of
an inundation, as we learn from Johannes Pierianus. He
says that all effusion of water was specified by this chqrac.*

77

AUgiist, and sometimes about the equinox, thjb
river began to subside and the meadows to
appear. ' Cum autem sol per Cancri sidus
coeperit vehi, augescens ad usque transitum
ejus in Libram, diebusque centum sublatius
fluens, minuitur postea, et equitabiles campos
ostendit. They are the words of MarceUinus,
who had been in that country : and he agrees
with other writers. Theon the schoHast upon
Aratus speaks nearly to the same ' purpose.
To) Uuai^i voivsrai o Ng/Xof, o? earn xara PdiAuisg
OxTuQgios. The Nik stops, and subsides in the
monthPaophi, which answers to October among the
Romans. Diodorus Siculus places the com-
mencement of its decrease more truly at the
autumnal equinox, as he does its first rising at

teristic. And he adds, th^t from h?nce has been the custom
of making the water, which proceeds from cisterns and other
reservoirs, as well as spouts from the roofs of buildings,
come through the mouth of a lion. — Apud gentes omnes
uno jam consensu receptum, ut canales, tubique et siphones.
qui aquam eructant per terebrata foramina in leonina, capita
ad id locis opportunis adsculpi solita, aquam immittant, quse
inde ex leonis rectibus evomi videatur. 1. 1. c. 13. p. 9. See,
the whole, which is curious.

See Marci Frid. Wendelini Admiranda Nili, c 7. p. 55.
— also Orus Apollo, c. 21. p. 37.

• L. 22. p. 259,

78
the solstice. ' T;?s TTirigaxTzais 7rtv Ctg^ijv emo h^ivm

TH? f/A0o9ugivng- It continued subsiding for a
long time ; but soon after the ' equinox and
during the month of October the ground began
to appear ; which, being covered with slime and
mud, produced flies and all kinds of insects.
These generated at that season in the swamps
aijd moist places ; particularly in the bodies
of rats and mice and other animals, not (as
the ancients thought) half formed ; but half
putrified : from whence they proceeded in
swarms. The oestrum is well known to be
generated from hence. ^ Oktt^ov sh. tuv iv roig
^07upt,@ig s'lrm'Kiovrwv ^act^tm a^ro'/ivvecTDCi. I be-
lieve most of the tribes of gnats and fl.ies arise
from swamps and rivers. And bees, wasps,
and hornets, which proceed from grubs in the

' L. 1. p. 32.

* Tke time ivlien the Nile is highest is about the middle of
Septeniber. Pocock, p. 201. Soon after it began to sink.
Strabo seems to make it for forty days in, a state of equilibre
during its greatest height ; and then gradually to subside as
it arose. 1. 1 7. p. 1 1 37.

' Scholioin ApoUon. I. 1. v. 1265. The Scholiast upon
Homer speaks to the same purpose, 'o ws-j*; «a-«yewv«T(»( e»

T»» £» T«i; zaCTUfini^ ^^Kyiftiv ^a»Mtiv Tuv s?r(!rJv8»»Tai» T« vo»Tit eta.

K«( B-Asis-os' wsg( avTx ymr»t. Homeri Odyss. X- ^. 299.—

Ojf^a? MyofiDo; fivfi^. Ibid. V. SOOi

79

ground, or else in hollow trees, never come
forth till the weather is very warm.

Now the children of Israel took their jour-
ney from Egypt at a different time of the
year. They set out after an interval of win-
ter upon the fifteenth of the month iAbib,
which answers, according to our computation,
to the first of April. Some of the plagues
brought upon the Egyptians were doubtless
in a series somewhat antecedent to this season.
They were ten in number r consequently there
were nine intervals between them : but of
what duration each of these judgments were ;
and what portion of time is to be allotted to
each interval is uncertain. It is intimated,
that there was a rtspite: and we are told, in
the first instance, after the river had been
turned to blood, that this respite amounted to
a week. — And seven days were fulfilled^ after
that the Lord had smitten the. river, ch. vii. v.
25. If then this wei-e the portion of time in-
clusive from one event to another (and I think;
it could not have been less) we shall find, that
the first wonder displayed must have happen-
ed two months before the ultimate : and the
three which succeeded, were proportionably
antecedent. But the duration of each judg-

80

ftient must be likewise taken into the" account :
which however may be difficult to be ascer-^
tained. The deatl^ of the first-born, which
was the last, could not have taken up many
hours. All was well at even : and the cry
was at midnight. • The darkness which pre->
ceded lasted three days inclusive : and if we
allow the same term for the other plagues
one with another ; the first operation must
have happened near three months before the
Exodus. We are in consequence of this car-
ried back from the first of April to January
and February for the times, when some, the
first in order, of these judgments were brought
about. But these were the ■ coldest months
in Egypt ; and the most ungenial of any :
so that, as I have before said, none of those
noxious animals brought upon the country,
could have been produced at such a season in
the natural * way. This must have been ap-
parent not only to the Egyptians, but to the
Israeliteis: for whose sakes these judgmeiits
were displayed : and who must have seen the

' The coldest time here is about the beginning of Febru-
ary. Pocock, p. 195. ■

* Whether the flies came from tvood,- or from water, this
was not the season for their swarmmg.

§1

hand of God triumphing visibly tivfer the
powers of darkness. For the season inv which
the frogs appeared, and these insects swarmed,
was contrary to all experience. They used
to be produced in Egypt at a different, and
for the most part an opposite, time of the
year: and before this season, they were either
diminished^ or extinct. As many authorities
have been brought from- ancient writers Con-
cerning Egypt, and its wonderful riVer, I
will now apply to the evidence of a modern,
that curious naturalist, Frederick Hasselquist,
who will illustrate very much what 1 have
been saying. " ' We wentj (says he), on the
*' 1 7th of September, on board one of the ves-
*' sels in the Nile. — The ground appeared
*' .clothed with a charming verdure ; a gfeat
*' part sown with Turkey wheat ; and some
** parts, though but few, with lucern : the lat-
*' ter not being commonly sown, before the
.*' water has entirely decreased." The water
therefore had begun to subside ; and had m-
tirely decreased upon those spots^ where this
grain was sown : and this was upon the i^th
of September. He saw a variety of birds^ but
none attracted his attention so much as the
» !>. SB.

G

82

crane, or ibis. " A person, (says'lie), who
*' has the least knowledge of nature's cEcono-
" my, may easily find the Creator had order-
* " cd.that bird to come in such numbers to
'' the marshy fields of Egypt at this time.
" Here they find in great abundance their pro-
j" per food from the number df frogs, whicii
" cover the country, when the waters de-
" crease : and multiply extremely during the
"time of the flood.—' The water in the chan-'
" nel at Cairo had on the 24th of September
" evidently decreased, &c.— Flies were now
" seen in much -greater numbers." — Upon the
12th (of October) we are told that the coun-
try was in full beauty, the water being in great
measure drained from the fields. February
or Mechir seems to have been the wintry
month, The 2 2d is mentioned by Hassel-
quist * as very cold : at which time ike trees
lost their leaves ; but began to put forth new.
Agreeably to this, Pocock says — " The cold-
" est time is about the beginning of Feb-

' P. 94.

He mefltions gnats near Rosetta in June. " The rice
« fields, because they are constantly under water, occasion a
" swamp, fit for the support of these vermin ; and in these'
« they lay their eggs." p. S4.

» P. 106.

" ruary." p. 195. In another place he men-
tions February, whe:^ the weather is coldest,
p. 96. •

It is indeed said by IJasselquist, that flies
are always to be fqund in Egypt. The same
iis o\>s^ryable in .Great Britain : and we mu^t
jiecessarily ^expect to ipeet with them in ^
country above twenty degrees tp the South.
!Pvit still the time above mentio^d, a, ' win-
try motithj was ;npt ,the season ror them to
,breed and swarm ; no>r for frogs to multiply,
and tp cQver the "^h^J-e land: to have been in
such numbers, that when they died, they lay
m.hqaps; so tl;iat the whole country was pol-
luted with the stench.

The change wrought in the waters of the
Nile, when they were turned to blood, might
in Hke manner by sceptics be imputed to
a natural cause. It is certain that the stream

.' It has beep said, that in Egypt the, days are at all times
warm : and the earth has a constant verdure. However,
Pocock tells us, that-^« •uiintef nights and mornings are very
cold, p. 195. There were seven days in particular, which
the Arabians called — ^Berd il Agiuz, or the cold of the old hag.
They begin about the 7th of February, and continue till the
14th. Tlie mornings are then very cold, the sky cloudy :
and the v^inds are commonly boisterous. Vansleb, p. 22.

G ^.

84

has sometimes a ' red colour ; and the sam6
is said of the river * Adonis, near Biblus in
Phenicia. But this appearance is always dur-
ing violent inundations ; when the rivers, by
the exuberance of their waters, wash aw^y
Ocre, and other minerals, from the sides of their
banks. This circumstance in Egypt never
happens but in summer ; when the Nile is
rising ; at^jij^ich times the waters are turbid.
In Tybi, or January, the river is not only
reduced to its channel ; but is ' lower" than
in any of the preceding months, and particu-
larly pure and wholesome. The same is
observable in Machir, or February, the month
immediately following. This change there-
fore mentioned by Moses, and its consequences^
could not have been produced by any natural
cause ; such as mineral tincture, and com-
moti pollution: the season of the year sheWsr
the contrary.

The three first judgments brought upon the
land were experienced by the Israelites as well

'A

' See Pocock, p, 199. The Nile red about June, Also
p. 200. -ft

* Maundr'ell, p. 34, 35. Lucian de Syril Dea, p. 880.

^ B^^w; Tf» x'Uftm* oiriiitT» ^unihiit luv (a Nei^is;.) Her®(L
1. 2. c. 19, p. 112.

85

as by the Egyptians. They were not so '
grievous as those which succeeded. Yet they
were sufficient to teach the inhabitants of Go-
shen, that there was no illusion in these mighty
operations : which perhaps they might have
suspected, had they not seen and felt, and
borne some share in the evil. On the other
hand, Pharaoh and his servants, when they
saw God's people involved in the same cala-
mities with themselves, might have fancied,
that there was nothing partipular in the judg-
ments ; and in consequence of it, not so dis-
tinctly seen to whonj they were directed,

' How intolerable a plague flies can prove, may be known
from places near lakes and pools, which have been on their
account deserted, and rendered desolate. Such was the fate
of Myuns in Ionia, Pausan. 1. 7. p. 527. and of Atarnie,
ibid. The inhabitants were forced to quit tl>ese cities, not.
being able to stand the flies and gnats with which they were
pestered. Trajan was obliged to raise the siege of a city iii
Arabia, before which he had gat down, being driven away
by the gwarms of the$e insects. Dion Cassius, 1. 68. p. 1 145,

^^ fly ^f ^Syp^ seemg to haye been proverbial. Hence

Isaiah gays — The Lord shall hiss for thfiy of Egypt ^ ch. vii. ver,
1 8. We are told by Mpses — that the hornet drove out the
Canaanite : by which we may infer, that before the coiping
of the Israelites several cities had been evacuated through the
terror of this insect. Mwai/ (or rather fivini) ^m^^s mi^tm Mi-
y»g««f, <p»iniXiT»s h <r^n«-H- ^lian de Animal, 1. II. c. 28,
p. 641.

86

Hence tbe scope of Providence wckild have
been defeated It therefore pleased God in
the plague of flies, and in those which catee-
after, to separate the land of his own people :
and preserve them from these evils. — ' / wilt
sever in that day the land of Gofhen^ in whi-ch my
people dwell'^ that- no stvarms of flies shall be
there ; to the end thou may est know that I am
the Lord in the midst of the eafth. And I ivilt
put a division hefuoeen my people and thy people :
to-morrow shall this sign be.—Tht Israelites
having experienced the former evils must have
been more intimately afFeetecJ with this imr
munity, by which they were distinguished.
And they must in consequerice of it havebeei^
more ready to follow their great leader ; who
•«^as the immediate agent of Providence both
to punish, and to preserve.

' Exod. p. yiii. V. i^. The land of Goshen was part pi
tllat nome, called sifterWafds Heliopolis, which had been de-
Sertfed by the shepherds, arid lay vacant, when the children
of Israel catne into Egypt. It was a tongue-like piece of
land, where the Nile first divided at a place called Cercaspra.
Said, or Upper Egypt, lay above ; and Mesre, or Lower
Bgypt, was in a line downward. Nothing but a miracle
could have preserved this interpiediate land from flies, which
SWurmed both above and below.

87

THE FIFTH PLAGUE.
MURRAIN OF BEASTS.

Exodus, Chap. ix.

'' Ver. 1. Then the Lord said unto Moses, Ga
in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, . Thus saith the
Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that
they may serve me.

V. 2. For if thou refuse to let them go, and
wilt hold them still,

V. 3. Behold^ the hand of the Lord is upon
thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses,
upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen,
and upon the sheep : there shall be a very griev-
ous murrain.

V •, 4. And the Lord shall sever between the
cattle of Israel, and the cattle ofJEgypt: and
there shall nothing die of all that is the children's
of Israel.

:, V. 5. And the Lord appointed a set time,
saying, To-m^rrqw the Lord shall do this thing
in the land.

V. 6. And the Lard did that thing on the
morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of
the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

S8

This judgment so precisely foretold, and sq
early carried into execution, must have had a
great effect upon the minds qf the Egyptians.
And when they found, that the, cattle of the
Israelites were exempted from this evil, they
could not but perceive the .hand of God rna-
nifest throughout the whole operation. In
consequence of which they must have tfeen
more ready to let the Israelites go, and to
assist them at their , departure, as soon as the
obdurate heart of their prince was finally soft-
ened; . It must, likewise have rendered the, Is-
raelites more willing, to depart, and to leave
the gods of the country j to which they un-
doubtedly had before an.' attachrnent. .And
here we rnay observe a particular scope and
meaning in this calamity, if we consider it in
regard to the Egyptians,. whi(?h vfould not
have existed in respect, to. any other people.
It is well known, that they held in idolatrous
jeyerence the lion, wolf, (dog? cat, ape, and
goat. As they bordered upon Lybia they
must have been yisited by wild * beasts, all

? See Ezekiel xx. 8/

* The tiger, dubber, or 3hena, gre still tp be fpund : but
not common. Pocock. Egypt, p. 207. Probably since th^
use of fire-arms they have been kept at a distance.

which they esteemed sacred. Eis?<ra di Aiyvie- ,
Tos ofASPOi T?? AiQvy iv fjttoXa. ^maihrig sffri, rcth
iotra. <r<pi. u^avra, i§a nvo(/itffTai. Herod. 1. 2,
c. 64. p. 134. Porphyry Hkewise tells us — ■

g<; ^soToiiav -jra^sXocSot) irav ^aiov. p. 372. ■

ods» xat Ksm ug '^iog S-g'?j(r«susTa<. ib. p. 373.

■ ^ATO. TaVTU »ai TUVTOl, TO. ^UCt (TiSsfftV. p^

374. They admitted every anmal as a repre-
sentative of their gods. Hence the lion is by

them, worshipped as a deity and together

with these specified they worship every living
creature, Hence Virgil very truly mentions

■ — — Lgtrator Anubis
Omnigenumque deum moqstra,

Lucian, accordingly, with much wit ridicules
the inconsistency of their worship, by shewing,
how little any temple among them correspond-
ed with the object which it contained.— -
' KaXit yap avroe fJLiv J mugf xaKKiirrog n xat
flLeynfTOi, iM&oig rOig vohvrihefftif Tifx^fAevegi xat
ygi^ffu »«} yga(puis iij^vdia-f/^svog^ iv^ov hi jjc ^jjt-jjj
Tov ^iovi ti -ffi^rixoc iffTi^ 71 \Qigt 71 Tgayogf ti uiXs^og.
In Egypt the temple itself is found to be beauti-
ful, and ample in its dimensions : %iilt with choice

■ So I should read, as the context seems to require, in-
st^d of tv. . .

' Ei»»irs5, V. 2. p. 12. See also ®im E»»?in<f»«, v. 2. p. 956.

90

stone f : and ornamented with gilding and Mero-
giyphics. But if you pry^ within to find out the',
god, you meet with a monkey^ or a crane ; or else
a goat, or a cat. But they had gods, which
were held in still greater reverence than these.
Such were the ox or steer : the cow and heifer:
and the ram. Among these the Apis and
Mnevis are well known : the former of which
was a sacred bull adored at Memphis ; as the
latter was at HeliopoUs. There was also a
cow or heifer, which had the like honours at
Momemphis, Nor were these only the places,
where this custom prevailed : it seems to have
been adopted in some degree in most of the
^Egyptian nomes. Ei^ l§ t» AeXra, »ai g|» uvta,
Tots |CA|ii agffriVi rotg ^s Brfhzios. Ss? t^^itui. They
are the words of ' Strabo, who^ tells, us that
both in the region of Delta and in the coun-
try above, steers and heifers were p;iaintained
in the temples : and he adds, that these were
only held sacred, and not adored ; whereas
the Apis and Mnevis were really esteemed
gods, and had divine honours paid to them,
The Hke were shewn to the cow or heifer at
* Momemphis ; and to the ram at Thebes, and

' L. 17. p. 1155.

* ©ijJisditSss li^a. ibid. The cow and the heifer were uni-
versally esteemed s,acred : and though the males were look-

&1

in the temple of AmmoH. To these may be
added the goat atMemdes ; though perhaps not
so celebrated as the others. This judgment
therefore displayed upon the kine of Egypt was
very significant in its execution and purport.
For when the distemper spread iriTesistibly over
the country, the Egyptians not only suffered'
a Severe loss; but what was of far greater
consequence, they saw the Fepresentative e#
their deities ; and their deities themselves sink
before the God of the Hebrews. They thought,
that the soul of Osiris was uniformly resident
in the body of the bull Apis. — ' TiXivTria-uvros
Ocrigi^qg ng rarov (jav^ov) ^ '4^0 j^K |«.st£(rrjj', x«f

ed upoi* with reverence, yet not in the same degree as the
females. Tn; h €»$ rg; e^mnei^ Tg ZTea^g etvM ufti^fiiriy, Herod.'
1. 2. C. 38. p. 121. .. Tg; (till pay ^uia^mt Gas vs; cjrEv«;, xxi
TV; [ter^g; it vi^nis A(yv9rf<M Ivsiri, r»i h flijA£i<«$ »v E^i E|tfi Ivm.
«^A»<j«i'E<n Tig; Iriif. Ibid. I. 2. C. 41. pi 123.

Of Apis see Herod. 1. 2. c. 131. p. 165- |. 3. c. 27, 28.
p. 208.

' Diodorus, L 1. p. 76. j».

'fit tvfu^^at UKovK x^rt vtfu^w VK QirifScs- ■^«]i,vs Ttr Amy.
Plut. de Is. et Osir. p. 362. D.

' Sometimes he is stikd fttrjict. So Herodotus speaks of
him?— « (Mr^c! i Attis MiMeftntf. Hsrod. k 3. e. 28. p. 208.
Sometimes Ev;. Bx; Attk, «$ e^-iy a »v!rti Ovi^ii, Stfabo, 1. 1 7.

p. 11 6Q. Sef P. Mela, 1. I. c. 9. pv 5d. coneetning this
deity.

92

ita ravTU hareXu ff'^X^i m vvv ait. ». r. X. A
notion, not unlike that concerning the Deli *
Lama in Eluth, Tangut, knd Thebet. But
Osiris had no power to save his brute repre-
sentatives. Both the Apis and Mnevis were
carried off by the same malady, which swept
away all the herds of deities, those Dii ster-
corei, who hved on grass and hay. There is
i^eason to think, that both the camel, and *
ass, were held in some degree sacred; who
were involved in the same calamity. Hence
it is said by the sacred writer — upon their ^ gods
also the Lord executed judgment. Numb, xxxiii.
'4. See Exod. xii. 12.

These events, we may well imagine, had a
happy influence upon the minds of the Is-
raelites : to whom the worship of the Egyp-
tians must at this time have appeared in a
most contemptible light, and their gods des-

' Some say, that this very custom of worshipping a deifie4
man, prevailed in Egypt.— -Av^gmn'tr nSanv, »ecr» Avt&tv xufMivy
iv i x«» -nsTu ivireti, K»t im ran iufim ret ii^eue xeeiEnti, Porphyry
a-sji cfrt^. 1, 4. p. 374.

* The Aselli made a part of the ancient sphere.

^ In consequt nee of this, when the history is toid to Je-
thro, he very truly says : Now I know that the Lord is greattr
than all gods: for inthjhiog'whoetn they dealt proudly ^ Ae was
above them. Exoa. xviii. 11,

93

picable. Their separation too, and exemption
during the time of these evils, must have had
still greater weight. It rendered them more
ready to quit a people, from whom they were
in so salutary a manner distinguished ; and to
embrace a better, and more rational religion,
whenever it should be offered.

THE SIXTH PLAGUE.
OF BOILS AND BLAINS.

Ch. ix. ver. 8. j^nd the Lord said unto Mo-
sesy and unto Aaron^ Take to you handfuls of ashes
of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it towards
the heaven in the sight of Pharaah:

V. 9. jdnd it shall become spiall dust in all
the land of Egypt, and shall he a boil breaking
forth with blaini, upon man, and upon beast.

V. 10. And, they took ashes of the furnace,
and stood before Pharaoh ; and Moses sprinkled
it up toward heaven : and it became a ' boil
breaking forth with blains, upon man, and upon
beast.
. V. 11. And the magicians could not stand be"

' 'ZtMfi ^hvnriiH, Sept*

94

fore Moses^ because qf the boil: for the bml was
npQW the magicians, Q,nd upon all the Egyptians.

This plague, like .those, which preceded,
was particularly well calculated to cbnfound
the Egyptians, and to confirm the .Faith of the
Israelites. For as the latter are not said to
have been involved in the calamity, we may
fairly infer, that they were exempted from it.
This immunity therefore must have increased
their confidence in the God of their fathers,
and in his servant Moses. This instance Uke-
wise of divine punishment was of such a na-
ture, as particularly shewed the baseness and
imbecillity of the ^Egyptian deities, ,who covild
neither ward off the evil, when ..impending ;
nor afford any alleviation, when it was brought
>on. Yet the Egyptians had many gods, and
.those of high rank, who were supppsed to
presidcover pharmacy and medicine : ai;id to
these the ^people looked up with great confi-
dence, in all those pains and .maladies to which
the human frame is liable. Among these dei-
ties Esculapius was held in particular honopr
for his sk^l in this science. ' ^Esculapius
deus medicinse et medicorum. He was sup-

' Alhricus Philos. p. 928.

95

posed by many to have been originally a mor-
tal, and to have first found out the art ; and
to have taught it in Egypt. ' Medicinam

^gyptii apud ipsos volunt repertam. -^Es-

culapiusMemphitis inter primos hominum nu-
ttieratur, qui opinione humana dii fatti surit.
He was particularly worshipped at Memphis.
Urbs Memphis prsesentia numinis JEsculapii
clara. Marcellinus, 1. 22. p. 257- Some make
Apolib, the same as Osiris, to have invented
medicine : and suppose Esculapius to have been
his son : and from hence to have obtained
his knowledge — HoX^a va^a m var^oi rm sig
lar^miiv fbetSovru v^offs^ev^eitf tjjv re yjci^n^yiav xai
rag rm (p»gfJiiU»a/» ffxivetfftagj xott pi^m iufUfJtiSig,
X. T. X. Diod. 1. v. p. 341. D. Others af-
firmed, that he learned the science of Apis.
* laT§tx7]v-Amy, Atywrioit nvTo^dovu^ — (swivjaj-
ca/), fjLsra Js tuvto, AfxXimov rnv re^yijv av^yidrai
hiysffiv. Others carried the invention of
medicine much higher ; and supposed that
Isis contributed very much to this science.
^ Ttiv Ifftv — "pa^f/kaxm iroKkuv it^og vyisiut svgsnif.
Her salutary influence was thought to be vety

'Pliny, 1. 7. c. 56. p. 414.

» Clemens Alex. Strom. 1. 1. p. 362.

^ Diodorus, 1. 1. p. 22.

g6

prevalent. ' Kara, yug rsg vvvsg spffrafAivrif
^i^ovat Toig KctfAvovffi Co7id)][Ji>aTC!C irgos rug cors?* xai
rug v-Trax^ffuvTctg avr^ ^a^etho^ug vyiaivsirdah H'Ot.i
voXKug [Asv vTo raiv loir^m iia Tr,v ivirxohtav ts voffrj-
fiarog amXvia-hvTotg, vto rcuvrrig ffa^iffdofft. ffv^voifg
Jg ^uvTiXag vvj^iahvTag rag oguffsig, tj rivu aXkuv

TtUV (Ai^MV TS IT&lfJI^UTOg) OTdV TTgOg TaVTTIV Tf]V PSO»

vaTct^svyaffiv ng rijy •ff^owu^'^uffuv azoKctSiffraffdai
TDkliv- For this goddess used to reveal herself to
people in their sleep, when they laboured under
any disorder , and afford them relief. Many, why
placed their confidence in her influence, were won-
derfully restored. Many likewise who had been
despaired of, and given over by the physicians, on
account of the stubborness of the distemper, were
reinstated by this goddess. Numbers, who had
been deprived of their eyes, and other organs of
their bodies, recovered them by their application
to Isis. She was farther reported to have
found out a medicine, that would render peo-
ple immortal : and to have bequeathed all her
knowledge to her son Orus j who is said — »
TTSv T% iuT§t»i]v xav rijv ffjUvriKriv vicn trig [Ji'Krgog
liridog hla.-j(^Snmi — to have learnt the science of
physic as well as of prophecy from his mother

' Diodorus, I. 1. p. 22.
» Ibid.

m

Isis. The Egyptians had many books of
great antiqmty upon this subject : many of
which were attributed to Sesorthrus or rather
Tosorthrus, who was supposed by some to
have been the same asEsculapius above men?'
tioned — oj Ao-xXtitiq? vk^o, Atyv^rioig sx'hriSn
^itt. lotTgist^v. There was also a king named *
Athoth the son of Menis, of still greater anti-
quity, who is thought to have been the second
prince who reigned in Egypt. It is said of
hi,m., that he was greatly skilled in all branches
of physic ; and to have left behind him trea-
tises upon the structure of the human body.---^
luT^mi]!/ Ts i^tiirx^Tjirev, itai ^i^Asg aiiUTOft,ixa,g ffvvs-
'y^a-^iv. Eiiseb. Chron. p^ 14. Syncellus
speaks of these medicinal books of Athoth — *
K (fiegovTUi QiSi^t et,i/a,TOfA,ixai, tar^og ya^ tjv. What
are stiled books and treatises are supposed to
have been originally hieroglyphical writings
upon obelisks ; or else in the syringes or sacred
recesses, which Were formed in rock^ of Upper

■" ' Eusebii ChrOn. p. 14. 1. 46. See SyncelluSj p. 57.

* Expressed sometimes Athosthis — Atfao-^fs.

- ^ According to Seleucus they amounted to 20,000, ac-
cording to another person to 36,525. But this is a mistake
of the writer, by whom we have it mentioned. — See Jamblj-
thus, sect 8. p. 157.

* Syncellus, p* 54.

H

-.98

Egypt. They are by Manetho attributed tp
Hermes : of whom we have an aepount given
by Clemens of Alexandria, that he composed
forty-two -books concerning all sciences ; of
which, sis related to medicine. — ' Avo fjt^ev ouv
xctii ■^icrira^a.K.ovra, at ?ruiiv avwyxatai rai ^§f^f
yiyovcta-i (iiSKoty m Tag fjt.tv Xr t;jc 'zaffKV Atyuw-r

Sa.\iisfft. TKg he Xoi'^etg g|, oi ■ffa,so<po^.oh lar^izag

'Strom. I. vi. p. 758.

* 'Oi 7r«r»^»gw (w^avSanso-i), from hence I should judge,
that the Pastophori were physicians ; if the word be of Gre-
cian etymology.

Clemens describes a sacred procession in Egypt : in which
different persons have particular things to carry. AmOng
^others the * Pastophori have delegated to them the six me-
dical books of Hermes. They are supposed to be stiled
Pastophori from carrying the pastum, or robe, of Isis. But
I should think, that they were so named from the things,
which they, at the very time, bore in their hands, the trea-
tises of physic. n«5-i», x«T«a-o!r«, iittTrx^a, are all terms used
in physic : and from hence I imagine both the books, and
the priests that bore them, were denominated. Pastillus is
a diminutive from pastus, a-afoj ; and plainly relates to phar-
macy, as we learn from Celsus. Malagmata, atque em-
jihsixa, pastillique, quos r^o^.to-xng Grseci vocant. 1. S. G. 17.

Ovalv ■TTciyot l^ata, TripvKti epfiaftfuiut eeAAa^
Nii^iUi UT sy;t;g(feii [iftat hx.it) at S5ri!T«rov.,

Theoc. Idyl. xi. v. 1-

* See Clen.ens PxAzgog. ]. 3; p. 153,

99

eufciif 'jTi^t Ti TH? T8 raifAStiTOi xKra<rxiv]ji, xoti
ws^i voduvy xcct TS^i t^yctvuH xat ^otgf/^azisiiv, xott
•iti^i o^SuJ'.fiMff xui TO TiKivraiov TS^i Tuv yvtai-
xsK»v There are forty^twa books of great conse-
quence, which are ascribed to Hermes. Cf these
thirty-six contain all the phihs^hyi of the Egyp^
tians; and from these the. persons before mentionr-
ed get their information. With the remaining
six the Pastophori a^e pasfti^utarly: concerned:
for they relate ia pharmacy ; md are trecdises
concerning the management qf the b^dy; also ahout
different distempers ; about mediccd instruments;
and medicines; and complaints of the: eyes'; tmd
iastlyy concerning feminine disorders.

That this learning was originally eoiisigned
to the cryptse or sacred caverns of Egypt, and
to obelisks, is mcntioaaed by Manetho of Se-
hennys, \^hich shews its great antiquity :

* * * » * * »

*
In consequence or thi? the Egyptians were

always famed for their knowledge in medicine ;

i^f^K r<> Ttxfot. Suidas.

' AvtTtMffUlT. 1. 5. V. 1.

Hs

100

and their physicians were held in great re-
pute. We find even in later times, when
their country was in a manner ruined, that a
' king of Persia, upon a grievous hurt receiv-
ed, applied to the adepts in Egypt for assist-
•ance, in preference to other countries. Herod.
1. 3. p. 262. And though they did not in
this case succeed ; yet we learn so much from
the history, that they had not yet lost their
pristine reputation. They were in great num-
bers in Egypt : each distemper having its
proper pTiysician, to which his practice was
Confined.-—* M.i7i$ vova-s Izuffrog njrgoi es-i, »a<
ov 'x'kzovm. Uavra ^e irjT^m e^i 'jtXsu. Eac/l phy~
sician is Confined to onedisease ; and engages with
no more. The whole country abounds .with the prO"
fessors of medicine. The people seem to have
been liable to many distempers; some of which
were epidemical : as we find them to be at this
3 day. The Egyptians were continually pro^
viding against disorders ; and they had per-
sons, who pretended to foretel their coming
both upon * man and beast. In the time of

' Dariiis, upon a luxatidn of his ancle^

* Herod. 1. 2. c. 84. p. 141.

^ See Prosper Alpihus, I. h c. 13, 14. p. 2S, 24.

fiamiri. Diod. 1. 1. p. 73. D.

101

Moses we read of a particular distemper call-
ed the ' botch of Egypt: and the diseases of the
country are mentioned in more places than
one of * scripture. In consequence of this
the people were in a continual state of ' pur-
gation ; and reposed a great confidence in-
their physicians : who were maintained at
the expence of the * public. These joined
astrology to physic ; upon which they found-
ed their pretended foresight in respect to im-
pending maladies ; and in consequence of it
they were continually prescribing antidotes
and preventives to the people.

The Propriety of the Judgment.

I thougljt it necessary on many accounts to
give this history of physic, as recorded by the

' Dei^teron. c. xxyiii. v. 27.

' The Lord will tale away from thee all sickness, and will
put none of the evil diseases of Egypt — r — upm thee. Deut.
c.vii. V. \5.

If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law — '—^
then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, ^c. More-
over, he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt. Ibi^J
C. xxviii. V. 58, 59, 60.

'Herodot. 2. p. 139.

f Diodor. 1. 1. p. 74. A.

102

ancient Egy*ptkns. We find, that they be-
lieved it to have been found out by tiifeir gods
and demi7gods : and from thep to have been
transniitted to particular persons in succession,
who under their influence carried it on to the
advantage of the nation. They therefore
placed the greatest confidence in these deities ;
and in these their votaries, tOt whom this sci-
ence was entrusted. Hence it pleased God to
order his judgments accordingly : and to bring
lapon them a fearful disorder, which their dei-
ties could not avert, nor the art of man alle-
viate. He could have caused commotions in
the earth, had it seemed fitting; and shaken
their high edifices to their basis ; or brought
on a supernatural inundation, by which their
cities had been swept to the deep. But this
would not have been sufficiently significant,
It seemed therefore good to divine wisdom to
be more particular in its judgments. Hence
in this instance, as well as in those which jpre-
ceded, the Egyptians were not only punished ;
but were shewn the baseness of their worship;
and the vanity of their confidence, where
they most trusted. This, as it sefted for a
warning to them, was very salutary to others,
who were to learn by their example. They

10

o

had before been pestered with flies and in-
commoded with vermin : and, through the
pollution of their river and the murrain of
their cattle, been put to great inconveniences.
But they could dig for water, and in some de-
gree shelter themselves from flies : but there
was no resource from this evily which was
brought more home to them. It was a taint
of the human frame ; a grievous iiiternal ma-
lady, under which the priests as well as the
people smarted, to their astonishment and con-
fusion. Hence it appears, that the prinpe of
the country was deserted of his wise men as
well as of his gods.-r-^«^ the magicians could
not stand before Moses, because of the boil: for
the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the
Egyptians, Exod, ix. 11.

The Peculiarity observable in the scattering of
the Ashes.

It is said, that when this evil was to be
brought upon the Egyptians, Aaron and Mo-
ses were ordered to take ashes of the furnace ;
and Moses was to scatter them up towards
heaven, that they ipight be wafted over the face
of the country, Exod. ix. 8. This mandate was

104

very determinate : and to the last degree sig**
nificant. The ashes were to be taken from
that fiery furnace; which in the scriptures
was used as a type of the Israelites slavery, and
' of all the cruelty which they experienced in '
Egypt. The , process has still a fahher «llu?
sion to aii idolatrous and cruel rite, which
was common among the Egyptians ; and to
which it is opposed as a contrast. They had
several cities stiled Typhonian, such as Helio-
polis, Idithyia, Abaris, and Busiris. In these
at particular seasons they sacrificed * men.
The objects thus destined were persons of
briglat hair, and a particular complexion :
such as was seldom to be found among the
native Egyptians,. Hence we may infer, that
they Were foreigners : and it is probable that,

' Abraham saw in vision the bondage of his posterity un-
der the emblem of a smoking furnace and burning Tamp,
Genesis, ch. xv. v. 17. — \ — rThe Lord hath taken you out of the
furnace : i. e. out of Egyptian thraldom, Deut. ch. iv. v. 20.
/ have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah xlviii.
V. 20. — -—For they he thy people and thine inheritance, •which
thou broughtest jorth out of Egypt y from the midst of the fur-,
nace of iron. The words of Solomon. 1 Kings, c. viii. v. 51.

lActnim iV«gi)xs, Twi^ans; KetX^m^, x«i tii» TS^gaf «wt»» MKftavTts
H^aticrov, xcei^iia-Ttii^sii. AXXti T!fT« fiiti ii^»ro tpeiniuSf xMt K»i- im

vKigsv Ev rctii K-vsairit ifi(^»ig. Plut. Is. e): Osir. V. 1. p. S80. D«

105

while the Israelites resided in Egypt, they
were chosen from their body. They were
burnt .alive upon an high * altar: and thus
sacrificed for the good of the people. At the
close of the sacrifice the priests gathered to-
gether the ashes of these victims, and scat-
tered them upwards in the * air : I presume,
with this view, that where any atom of this
dust was wafted, a blessing might be entail-
ed. The like was done by Moses with the
ashes of the fiery furnace ; but with a dif-
ferent intention. They were scattered abroad j
that wherever any the smallest portion alights-
ed, it might prove a plague and a curse to this
ungrateful, cruel, and infatuated people. Thus
there was a designed contrast in these work-
ings of Providence: an apparent opposition
to the superstitigii of the times, The powers

' It was probably stiled Tuph-On, Aatpas haik : and from
hence both the cities, and the persons sacrificed, had the
name of Typhqniai?. That they ^ye^e foreigners seems to
be farther intin\ated, by the tradition recqrded by Ovid-
Cum Thrasius Busirin adit, liionstratque piari
, " Hospitis effuso sanguine posse Jovem.

De Arte Amand. 1. 1. v. 649.
ClodoTUS says — rm fuv Aiyvxrtm tfnyns "^'^IS (v^irxiftM w«f-
f^C tui 3e %vim ttvi ^XMs. 1. 1 . p. 79.

* Plutarch, above. '

lod

of darkness were foiled : and the priests and
magicians confounded : all which was salu-
tary to the people of God. But the heart of
Pharaoh was still hardened.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE.

OF RAIN, HAIL, AND FIRE, ATTENDED WITH
THUNDER,

Exodus, Gh. ix. Ver. 13. Jnd the Lord said
unto Moies, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him. Thus
saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my peo-^
pie go, that they may s^rve me.

V. 14. For I will at this time send all my
plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants,
and upon thy people : that thou may est kflQW, that
there is none like me in all the earth.

V. 15. For now I will stretch out my hand,
that I may smite thee, and thy people with pesti-
lence; and thou shalt be cUt off from, the earth.

V. 16. And in very, deed for this cause have
I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power;
and that my name may be declared throughout dll
the earth..

107

V, 17- yis y£f exalt est thou thyself agamt
my people, that thou wilt not let them go.

V. 18. Behold, to-morrow about this time, I
will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, suxh as
hath not been in Egypt since the foundation there-
of even until now.

V- 19, Send therefore now, and gather thy
cattle, and all that, thou hast in the field : for up-
on every man and beast "v^hich shall be found
in the field, and shall not be brought home, the
hail shall come down upon them, and they shall
die.

V, 20. He that feared the word of the Lord
amongst the servants of Pharaoh, made his ser-
vants and his cattle flee into the Ivouses,

V. 21. And he,, that regarded not the word
of the Lord^ left his servants, and his cattle in the
field.

V. 22, , And tlie Lord said unto Moses, Stretch

forth thine hand towards heaven, that there may

be hail in all the land of Lgypt, upon man, and

upon beast, and upon every herb of the field,

throughout all the land of Egypt.

V. 23. And Moses stretched forth his rod
toward heaven : and the Lord sent thunder and
hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground : and
the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

V. 24. So there was hail^ and fire, mingled

108

'with the hail, very grievous, such as tEere was
none like it in all the land of Egypt since it be-
came a nation.

V. 25. And the hail smote throughout all the
land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man
and beast: and the hail smote every herb of the
field, and brake every tree of the field. .

V r 26. Only in the land of Goshen, where the
children of Israel were, was there no hail.

V. . 2 7. jind Pharaoh sent . and called for Mo^
ses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned
this time

V. 28, Intreat the Lord ■

V. 31. And the flax and the barley was smitr,
ten: for the bc^rley was in the ear, and the flax
was boiled. > <

V. 32. But the wheat and the rye were not
smitten: for they were not grown up.

V. 34. And when Phamoh saw, that the
rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased,
he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, l^c.
He stifled the dictates of conscience, and act-
ed against conviction.

In the foregoing instances I have endea-r
youred to shew the aptness of each judgment
in respect to the people upon whom it was
brought. This likewise, of which I am go-

109

ing to treat, will be found equally significant
and proper. It was foretold to Pharaoh by
Moses, that upon the very next morning there
should be a grievous rain, attended with hail,
and thunder. This must have been a cir-
cumstance of all others the most incredible to
an Egyptian. For in Egypt there fell no rain :
the want of which was supplied by dews; and
by the overflowing of the^ Nile. Hence Ti-
bullus, speaking of the blessings accruing from
that river, says,

' Te propter nullos tellus tua postulat imbres,
Arida nee pluvio supplicat herba Jovi.

Mela likewise calls the country — ^terra expers
imbrium. 1. i. c. 9. Modern travellers how-
ever say, that this is not precisely true. Has-
selquist and other writers mention, that upon
the sea-coast below, near Daihiata, and Alex-
andria, showers are not uncommon : and that
even as high up as Cairo a few drops will
sometimes fall from a chance cloud, which
passes * over. Pocock goes so far as to say,
that at Faiume, which is in the ancient nome
of Arsinoe, it both rained, and hailed, for the
greater part of a ' morning. But Faiume" is,
I believe, a. day's journey from any portion of

' L. 1. Eleg. 7. V. 25. » Hasselquist, p. 453. ^ p. 59,

110

' Delta, or Egypt Proper, and borders upon
the high lands of Libya. This is certain, that
no country upon earth, to which we have ac-
cess, has so little rain as Egypt: and particu-
larly the upper part of it. Ova ofh^^iov ^u^.
No moisture of the , air ^ says ' Plutarch, - «> ever
,^here condensed into showers. And Herodotus
assures us, that the air and seasons of this
country are alwayS the same. He acknow-
ledges, that at one tirne there was an instance
of rain in Upper ^ Egypt. It was at Thebes,
and in the reign of Psammenitus: but he
stiles it ctvec^trioii v^tiyfji.a, something unnatural^
and alarming; and adds, that it never happen-
ed before nor after. A person, who had re-
sided some time in these parts, told * Aristides,
that he never saw a cloud in summer. And
even at Alexandria, where there is rain, it
seems to be never of long duration. Hence
Marcellinus, in his account of this city, tells us
— nullo paene die, incolentes hancce civita-
tem solem serenum non vident — the inhabit ants
hardly ever see the sun obscured by a cloud. But
this serenity was more apparent in the upper

• Hasselquist, p. 49. * De Facie in Orbe Lunse, p. 939.
3 L. 3. c. 10. p. 198. ♦ Tom. 3. p. 569.

5 L. 22, c. 16. p. 265.

Ill

parts : whence Claudian very truly stiles the
country-—' ^gyptus sine nube ferax — E^ypt
is fruitful "without any cloud to afford rain.

Farther Propriety in these Judgments.

The Egyptians therefore must have per-
ceived themselves particularly aimed at in these
fearful events ; which were so iqontrary to all
experience. For they were witnesses to not
only deluges of rain, but 'hail mingled with
rain ; and these attended with thunder and '
fire, to their great amazement.—For the Lord
sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon
the ground.' — -Again — Hail, and fire mingled
with the hail, very grieuous, such as there was
none like it in all the land of Egypt since it be-
came a nation. Now , the Egyptians were su-
perstitious above all people upon earth. We
learn from * Herodotus that they were parti-
cularly addicted to the. observance of porten-
tous appearances. Every uncommon circum-
stance was esteemed of this class. But as
these were imaginary portents, which arose
merely from a superstitious dread, it pleased
Ood to punish their blind credulity by bring-

' Claud, de NUo, T. 5* » Herodotus, I. 2. c. 82. p. 142.

. 112

ihg Upon them some real prpdigies; sbr
preternatural evils, to which they had nev
been witness. Such was the rain, and hai
and the fire, which ran on the ground, to the
great amazement and ruin. Its' coming w
determinately foretold : nor could all the d(
ties of Egypt prevent its tearftil effects. Tho
of -the people, who took warning, were pr
served: but all who neglected the cautio
and who did not shelter themselves, were, bol
man and beast, destroyed.

There seems farther a great fitness and pr
priety in the Egyptians being punished I
fire, and by water; as they were guilty of grc
idolatry towards these elements; and adon
them, as deities. Porphyry intimates that th
was a very ancient worship, and adds^ — ' i

ha Tv^og xai v^xrog ytvBTai. Even at this da
when they open the temple of Serapis^ the woi
ship commences by fire and water. And 1
gives a reason — » vhw^ xui %v^ trsSovTss fji.uh.ts
7C0II ^Qijjum. It seems, that of all elements tlu

' iiEgi itTTO'ic, 1. 4, p. 374'.
* Ibid. p. 373.

Eusebius also says — iS»g km itv^ ff&nri. Prep. Evan. I.
p. 95.
— Aquam, quam colis. Jul. Firmicus^ p. 5.

113

ihewed the greatest reverence to fire and wate^.
They esteemed Isis, as the deity which pre- •
sided over all ' fluids : and looked upon Osiris
to be the lord of the contrary element : though
some give the precedency to Hephaistus or
Vulcan. To 5s to^, (ji^tQi^i/urivtvo^svov 'H^a/yflK

0SOV. The Egyptians esteemed fire, which they
called Hephcdstus, to be a great God: They
went so far as to think it to be reallj^ a living
animal, endowed with a soul. — * vevofAtfai to
w^ dfi^iov iivut efj!,-^v^ov. Hence we 6nd^ that
not only the presiding deity^ but the elements
themselves, were held in idolatrous veneration.
The propriety of the punishnient^ is therefore
conspicuous. ^

We are , farther told, that the flaic and the
barley was smitten: for the barley was in the
ear, and the flax Was boiled. Ekod. ch; ix; ver:
31. These circumstances may to some ap-
pear of little consequence. And it may be
asked, when it is intimated that men and cattle

' Plut. Is. et Osir. passim.

In some places Canobus was looked upon as t^e God of
"Water.

» Diodor. Sic. 1. l.p. ll.B.
3 Herodi 1. 3, c. 16. p. 202.

I

114

were slain in great abundance^ what occasion
'was there for adding this trivial article about
fiax and bailey f I answer, it is by no means
trivial: but of great moment. The Egyp-
tians were doonoied to undergo many terrors j
and, beside these, to suffer no small losses : and
scarcely any thing could have distressed them
more than the ruin of the* former article. I
have before mentioned that the Egyptians,
above all nations, iafFected outward purity and
cleanliness. On this account the whole na-
tioti wore ' linen garments: and the priests
never put on any other kind of clothing.
This liiieii was manufactured from that fine
flax, for w^hich the country was particularly
famous. The Athenians, Who were originally
from Sais in Egypt, for a long season wore
garments of this sort ; and * Thucydides says,
that it was not long before his time, that the
custom was laid aside. The flax and linen of '
£gypt are celebrated by ' Herodotus, * Pliny,
Apuleius, and many other writers. It was in

' Qui grege linigero circumdatus et grege calvo
Plangentis populi currit derisor Anubis.

Juvenal, Sat. 6. v. 532.
* L. 1. c. 6. p. 6.

^ X(T«j«5 Ai»6K5. Herod. 1. 2. p. 12 J. c. 105. p. 151.
*L. 19. c. l.p. 156, 7.

115

great re<juest in other cotjntries: on whicfe
account we read in the scriptures of its excel-
lence. — Iri'the Proverbs a person is introduced
laying, ' / have decked my bed with the fine' Unen
of Egypt, And in, Ez;ekiel mention is made
of * fine linen and embroidered "Work from Egypt.
And though the Egyptians did not themselves
trade abroad, and carry on any foreign com-
merce, yet they suffered other nations to come
to them : and this they permitted very early.
for not only the Israelites were permitted to
come to Egypt : but we read also antecedent-
ly of the sons of Ismael goiiig thither, with
their caravans ; and this as early as the time
of Joseph. . The manufacture of their flax is
still carried on in this country : and many
writers take notice of it. Egmont, and * Hay-
man speak of it particularly, and say that it is
of a beautiful cQlour^ finely spun; so that the
threads are hardly discernible. Hence the de-

•C. 7,v.'i6. »C. 27. V. 7.

5 The soil of Egypt is also Very proper for raising flax.—.
The Egyptians, besides the extraordinary beautiful colour of
riieir fla^f, spin it so remarkably fine, that the threads of their
linen are scarce discernible. The vestments of their jiriests
were Vvholly made of it, &c. — ^I'he Byssus, which was the
finest sort, was frequently dyed purple, which raised it to so
great a price, that few could putchase it. Vol. 2. p. 222.

I 2

y

116

ttiolition of their flax was attended with great
inconvenience, and must have proved a heavy-
loss : so that this judgment particularly affect-
ed tjhis. people above all other nations: and.
their priests more particularly suffered.

The History illustrated from the Climate^
and Seasons^ ' ■ • ,

The ruin of their barley was equally fatal,
both in respect to their trade (for Egypt seems
very early to have been the granary of the
world) and to their private advantage. They ,
had, few vines ' in Egypt : but instead of the
juice of the grape, they made a liquor called
by Herodotus — om<i x^idii/og, barley wine-; un-
doubtedly a kind of beer : which was partic^^
larly serviceable during tl^ time that the Nile
was turbid, and not so fit to be drunken.
These advantages were lost to them now
through the devastation made by the rain,
hail, and fire .' and they could not but have
been severely felt. As this calamity came
upon them towards the time of barley harvest,

' They are hdweVer mentioned in P§alm Ixxviii. t. 47.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees "with
frost, , ,

* Herod. 1. 2. c. 77. p. 139.

117

•we may form a judgment of the montli, when
it hafipened. We are told by modern tra-
vellers, that corn in Egypt is fit for mowing or
reaping in ' March, and April : that is, the
barley comes to inaturity first, and is cut dowtj.
in the former month ; and the wheat in the
latter. When Le ' Bruyn was in that coun-
try, he observed the whole to be over at Cairo
upon the 19th of April. This agrees with
the account given by the sacred writer, who
s^s, that the barley was in the ear ; though,
as is intimated, not quite fit to be mowed :
but the wheat and the rye -w^re not grown up.
Exod, ix. 32. This judgment therefore must
have happened about the beginning of March,
before the precise time of harvest : so early
as to leave room for the tliree succeeding
plagues to take place. These were over by
the 15th of Abib, which answers to the first
of April ; at which time the Israelites, went
forth from the land of Egypt. The history
by these means is wonderfully authenticated :
and the divine purpose in each operation morp,
plainly discovered.

' Egmont and Hayman, vol. 2. p. 223.
Wheat ripens in March, and harvest is over in April. H^St
selquist, p. 453. , ;

' Levant, p. 134. b, '

PART THIRD.

LOCUSTS, DARKNESS,
AND DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN.

THE; EIGHTH PLAGUE.

LOCUSTS.

Exbd. Ch. X. Ver. 3. J^nd Moses and Aaroti
•^came in unto Phdraoh^ and said unto him. Thus
^saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long
wilt thou refuse to humble thijs elf before mtf let
My people go, that they may serve 'me.

V. 4. Else, if thou refuse to let my people,
go, behold, to-morrow will I bring the locusts in-
to thy •Coasts:

V. 5. -And they shall cover the face of the.
earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth:
tmd they shall eat the residue of that which is es-
caped, which reniaineth unto you from the haiL
and shall eat every tree which groweth for you
out of the field— l^c.l^c-

y. 13. jind Moses stretched forth his rod

119

over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an
east wind upon the land all that day and all that
night: and when it iaas jnorr^ing, the east wind
brought the locusts.

V. 14. And the locusts went up, over all the
land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts oj
Egypt: very grievous were they ; before them
there were no such locusts as they, neither cfter
them shall be such.^

V. 1 5. For they covered the face of the whole
earth, so that the land "voas darkened; (ind they
did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit
of the threes which the hail had left: and there re-^
mained not any green thing in the trees, or in the
herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

V. 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and
Aaron in haste;', and he said, I have sinned against
the Lord your God, and against you.

V, 17, Now therefore forgive, 1 pray thee%
my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your
God, ^c. I^c,

V, 19. And the Lord turned a mighty strong
west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast
them into the Red~sea, Sffc.

In this instance, as well as in others which
preceded, tl^e time of the approaching cala-

120

mity was precisely foretold by God's servants,
which plainly pointed out the hand from
whence the judgment proceeded. To some
however it may appear .strange, that after
such a display of terror, Exod. ch. ix. ver, 23,
24. God should introduce the Iqcust, or grass-
hopper, seemingly a poor instrument of divine
vengeance : whose effects, after such a general
devastation, could >not have; been very mate-,
rial, however they may be represented; But
the case was far otherwise. A swarm of lo-
custs is a very fearful evil, though not out-r
wardly accompanied with any alarming ap-
pearance : and the consequences of their in-
troduction were very fatal to the Egyptians.

We may perceive, that it was not :the pur-
pose of Gt)d to complete every punishment at
once : but to carry on the^e judgments in a
series,, and by degrees to cutoff all hopes, and
every resource, upon which the Egyptians de-
pended. By the hail and thunder, and fire
mingled with rain, both the flax and barley
were entirely ruiped : and their pastures must
have b^en greatly injured. But the ' wheat,

'- They sowed in October : and the time pf the different
grain coming to maturity mentioned Exodus, ch. ix. v. 31,
and 32. agrees with the account m Pliny. In ^gypto hor-

121

and the rye, were not yet in ear.; and such
was the fecundity of the soil in Egypt, that a
very short time would have sufl&ced for the
leaves of the trees, and for the grass of the
field to Ijave been recruited. To complete
therefore these evilsj and. to confound the stub-
born prince and his magicians, it pleased God
to send an host of locusts, to devour every leaf,
and blade of gra^, which .had been left in the
former devastation : and whatever was begin-
ning to vegetate. It is hard to conceive, how
widely the mischief extends, when a cloud of
these insects come upon a country. Though
it were a paradise before, it soon is rendered
a desert. They devour to the very root and
bark : po that it is a long time before vegeta-
tion can be renewed. Scarcely any ' misfor-
tune can so effectually damage a land, but
that room will be left for them to add to the
mischief. How -dreadful their inroads at all
times were^ may be known from a variety of

deum sexto a satu mense, frumenta septimo, metuntur.
1. 1,8. c. 7. p. 106. - ,

' By the autlior of the Book of Wisdom, they are suppos-
ed tp have killed by their bite — -ivi ftsir y»{ «»g(J«ii km ftmm

y.g.

122

» authors, both ancient and modern : and they
describe them as being brought on upon a
cotintry by one. wind; and carried off by
another: and speak of their numbers as past
all conception. The wind by which they are
brought on, generailly comes from a morassy
country. They swarm greatly in Asia and
Africa : and the lower parts of Europe towards,
the south-^east are by no means free from theic
invasions.

Instancies concertiing Locusts^ and theit
Depredations.

In respect to Europe ' Thevenot tells us,
^hat the region upon the Boristhenes, and
particularly, that inhabited by the Cossacs, is
greatly infested with locusts, especially in a
dry season. They come in vast clouds, which
extend fifteen and sometimes eighteen miles :
and are nine to twelve in breadth. The air,
by their interposition, is rendered quite ob-
scure ; however bright the day may have been^

' Barbot, Vander Prock, Cada MostSj Layer, St Andre
Brene, Nieuhoff, Bouyet,. Lettres Edifianfes, Le Bruyn's
Voyage to the Levant, p. 179, 280. Russel's Hist. of^Ale-
po, p. 62.

* Relation des Cossaques. — See Voyages, vol. 1. p. 12.

l23

hekyte; In two hours tKey devour all the corn,
wherever they settle : and oftentimes a fa-
mine ensues. At nighty when they repose
upon the earth, the ground is covered with
them four inches deep, and more. And if a
carriage goes over them, and they aire mashed
under foot^ the smejl of them is scarcely to ht
borne, especially when they are reduced to 1
state of putrefaction. They come from Cir-
cassia, Mingrelia, and Tartary : on which ac-
count the natives rejoice in a north or north-
east wind ; which carries them into the BlacTL
Sea, where they are intercepted and perish.

The Sieur de Beauplan has afforded us a
similar account of this country (the Ukraine)
an4 of the frequent inroads of these destructive;
animals.---'*' Next to the flies let us talk of thfe
^'grasshoppers, or locusts ; which are here so
" numerous, that they put one in mind of the
" scourge ot God sent upon Egypt, when hb
" punished Pharaoh. I have seen this plague
*' several years^ one after another: particu-
" larly in 1645, and i64§. These creatureis
" do not only come in legions ; but in whole
" -clouds, five or six leagues in length : and
^^ generally come from Tartary, especially ift

■ * Churchill's Collect, v. 1. p. 471, 472.

124

" a dry spring. For Tartary and the coun-
" tries east of it, such as Circassia, and Min-'
" greHa, are seldom free from them.. These
" vermin being driven by an east wind, or a
^' south-east wind, cpnie into the Ukraine,
" where they do much mischief ; eating up
" all sorts of grain, and grass : so that where-
" soever they come, in less than, two hours
" they crop all they find ; which causes great

" scarcity of provisions. It is not easy to

*' express their numbers ; for all the air is full,
" and darkened : and I, cannot better repre-
" sent their flight, to you, than by comparing
" it to the flakes of snow driven by the wind
" in cloudy weather. And when they alightr,
" to feed, the plains are all covered. They
" make a murmuring noise as they eat : and
" in less than two hours they devour all close-
" to the ground. Then, rising they suffer
*' themselves to be carried away by the wind.
" When they fly, though the sun shines never
" so bright, the air is no lighter, than when
" most clouded. In June. 1646, having staid iii

f a new town called Novogrod -I was ^sto-<

'' nished to see so vast a multitude : for it was
^' prodigious to behold them. They were
" hatched here la^t spring : and being as yet

125

*' scarcely able to fly, the ground was all co-
*' vered : and the air so full of them that I
" could not eat in my chamber without a
" candle : all the houses being full of them,
" even the stables, barns, chambers, garrets,
" cellars, &c. After they had consumed all
" that grew in the country for a fortnight, and
" having gathered strength to fly, the wind
** took them up, and carried them away to do
** as much mischief in another place. I have
*^ seen at night, whep they sit to rest them-
" selves, that the roads have been four inches

" thick of them one upon another. By

"the wheels of our carts, and the feet of our
" horses bruising these creatures, there came
" from them a stink, which not only ofFend-
" ed the nose, but the brain. 1 was not able
" to endure the stench j but was forced to
" wash my nose with vinegar : and to hold
" an handkerchief dipped in it to my nostrils

" perpetually. —These- vermin increase

" and multiply thus. They generate in Oc-
" tober : and with their tails make an hole
" in the ground : and having laid three hund-
" red eggs in it, and covered them with their
"feet, die : for they never live above six
" months and an half. And though the rains

126

' f'- should eome, they would not destroy the
*' eggs ; nor does the frost, though never so
^^ sharp, hurttheni. But they continue to the
*^ spring ; which is about mid April : when
*^ the sun warming the earth, they are hatch-^
♦' ed, and leap about ; being six weeks old

*' before they can fly.-'^ When stronger

" and able to fly, they go wherever the wind
J' carries theni. If it should happen, that the
" north-east prevails, when they first take
" their flight, it carries them ajlinto the Black
" Sea. But if the wind blows from any other
" quarter ; they go into some other country

" to do mischief,' . ^Ihave been told, by

'' persons' who understand the languages well,
" that these words are written in Chaldee cha-
" racters upon their wings, Boze Guion, the
" scourge of God. For the truth of which I
" rely on those who told me sO, and under-
" stand the ' language."

The vast region of Asia, especially the
southern part, is^ liable to the same calamity :
as we learn from NieuhofF, Bouvet, Le Bruyn,
Russel, and others. China is particularly in-
fested ; and the natives use various means to

' Norden 'mentions, that ther,e were supposed to be hiert?-
glyphical marks upon their heads, v. 1 . p. 58. '

137

obviate the evil, which is generally too power-
ful to be evaded, But the most fearful ac-
counts are from Africa ; where the heat of the
climate, and the nature of the soil in many
places, contribute to the production of these
animals in astonishing numbers. The conse-
quences are so terrible, that they would not
gain belief, were it not, that authors of very
different countries, and likewise of different
ages, afford so particular, and uniform evi-
dence, that it cannot be called in question.
Ludolphus, speaking of the serpents with
which Ethiopia abounds, adds — ' " But much
" more pernicious than these are the locusts :
'* which do not frequent the desert and sandy
" places, like the serpents ; but the places best
" manured, and orchards laden with fruit.
*' They appear in prodigious multitudes, • like
" a thick cloud, which obscures the sun : nor
" plants, nor trees, nor shrubs appear untouch-
" ed : and wherever they feed, what is left
" appears, as it were, parched with fire. Some-'
*' times they enter the very bark of trees :
" and then the spring itself cannot repair the
" damage. A general mortality ensues : and
""regions lie waste for many years.

>j»

' Hist, of Ethiopia, b. I.e. xiii. p. 67.

'■See Purchass, v. 2. book vii. c. 5. p. 1046, 7, 8.

128

The account given by Leo Africaijus de-
serves to be mentioned, as it confirms what is
said by others. Locustraum pleruinque tanta
conspicitur in Africa frequentia, ut instar
nebulae volantes solis radios operiant. Ar-
bores ipsas pariter cum frondibus ac fi'uctu
esitant. Discessurse ova relinquunt, quibus
aliae, tametsi non volant, pullulant ; et quibus
in locis ofFenduntur, omnia ad cortices ar-
borum exedant ; magnamque annonse cari-
tatem, prsecipue in Mauritania, relinquunt.
vol. 2. p. 769. edit. Elzevir. It is wonder-
ful that persons of learning should be at all-
in doubt, what the locusts were upon which
John, the Baptist fed. For we may be assur-
ed, that they were real locusts, , as tjiey were
by no means an uncommon soft of food.
The Ax^ilo<pa,yoi,' are mentioned by several
ancient authors : and many nations still feed
upon these animals, as we learn from modem
travellers. The, author above, having spoken
of locusts as a curse, adds — verum Arabiae
Desertae et Libyae populi locustarum adventum
pro felici habent omine : nam vel elixas, vel
ad solem desiccatas, in farinam tundunt, atque
comedunt. Agatharchides of Cnidus speaks
to the same purpose— •3-eg'< A.K^ih^a,yuv. 'Tto
hi Tfiv ia^tvi^v t(rn(Jkioiay-^—i:o:,iJi,ii,iyi9mv aK^i^uv TThf}-

129

yivirai ya^a^ : and he says, that they served
for food to the natives. Gedg. Grseci Min.
V. 1. p. 42. Diodorus Siculus seems to have
borrowed from hence his account of the same
people. — Kara jtiv ioc^ivriv c5gav ira§' avroig "Lspv
gag xa.1 AjCkej '^af^fAsyedstg sxgivrsffiv sx rrn. i^fifji^is

Tgo(pi»s iyjiVi a^raira Vol' E/oj-. L'l. p. l62. iElian
says the same of the irsrr<|, or cicada.
tirri'/a.i tiri himov. "" Hist. Animal. 1. xii. c.
vi. p. 667> TtTTtyuik etpuiug i^sffi^ihid. See
also Hasselquist, p. 232i

Francis Alvarez speaks of the same calami-
ty, in his acGOiint of the country of Prester
John. " In this country, and in all the do-
*' minions of Prete Janni, there is a very
** great and horrible plague. This arises from
" sin innumerable company of locusts, which
" eat and consume all the corn and trees;
" And the number of these creatures is so
" great, as to be incredible : and with their
" number they cover the earth, and fill -the
*' ^r in such wise^ that it is an hard matter
*' to see the sun : and if the damage which
** they do were general through all the prq-
" vinces, and reaime of Prete Janni, the peo-

K

130

" pie would perish . with famine. But one
-' year they destroy one province j sometimes
*' two or three of the provinces : and where*
" ever they go, the country remaineth more
" ruined and destroyed than if it had been set
" on fire." The author says, that he exor-
cised them, upon their invading a district
where he resided :• and, if the reader will be-
lieve him, it was attended with a very salutaTy
effect. He proceeds — "Jn.the mean time
" there arose a great' storme and thunder to-
" wards the sea; which came right against
" them. It lasted three hours, with an ex-
" ceeding great shower and tempest } and
" filled all the rivers; And when the water
*' ceased, it was a dreadful thing to behold the
"dead locusts j which we measured to be
*' above two fathoms high upon the banks of
" the rivers.-^— At another time 1 went with
" the ambassador Zaga Zabo — to a town and
" mountain called Agaon : and we travelled
" five days journey through places wholly

" waste and destroyed. The trees were

" without leaves, and the barkes of them were
" all devoured ; and no grass was to be seen.
" And if we had not been warned and advised
'' to carrie victuals with us^ we and our cattel

131

" had perished. The country was all cover-
" ed with locusts without wings; and they
" told us that they were the seede of them,
" which had eaten up all : and that as soone
" as their winges were grown, they would seeke
" after the old ones. The number of them
" was so great ; that I will not speake of it,

*' because I shaU not be .believed.^ While

** we abode in the same sighorie of Abugimn,
" in a place ca^ed Aquate, there came at
" another time such an infinite swarm of lo*
*' custs, as it is incredible to declare. They
*' began to come about three of the clock in
*' the afternoon ; and ceased^not till midnight.
" — Thie next day in the morning they began
♦* to depart ; so that by nine there was not
♦' oiie of them left ; and the trees remained
" without their leaves. The same day came
"another squadron ;" and these left neither
" bough nor tree unpilled. They continued

" the space of fivedays.^ ^The compass that

" these locusts took was nine miles. The

" country did not seem to be burnt up^ but
"rather to be covered with snoW, by reason
" of the whitenesse of the trees j which were
« all pilled."

All the western coast of Africa about Congo

K2

132

and Angola ; the regions also about the Gam-
bia and Senegal, and of Northern and South-
ern Guinea, are liable to the same misfortunes.
Barbot accordingly tells us, in speaking of Up-
per Guinea — ' " Famines are some years oc-
" casioned by the dreadful swarms of grass-
" hoppers or locusts, which come from the
" eastward, and spread all bver the country
" in such prodigious multitudes^ that they
"darken the air, passing, over head like a
"mighty cloud. They leave nothing that is
"green, wherever they come, either on the
" ground or trees; and they fly so swift from
" place to place, that whole provinces are de-
" voured in a short time. Thus it may rightly
" be affirmed, that dreadful' storms of hail
" and wind" (he might have added— of rain,
and thunder, and of fire mingled with rain),
" and such like judgments from heaven, are
" nothing to compare to this."

But the most grievous calaniity of this kind
happened to the regions of Africa in Retime
of the Romaiis; and particularly affected those

• Churchill's Collection, vol. S. p.' 33. The like in
South Guinea mentioned by Barbot, p, 221. also in the Atr
lantic, p. 539. See also Nieuhof's Account of the Gol|.
Coast, Astiey's Collection, vol. 3. p^ 420. and Cada Mosta, .

133

pacts which were subject, to their empire.
It is mentioned at large by Orosius, from whom
I will quote itr ' " Iri the consylship of
" Marcus Plautius Hypsseus, and Marcus Ful-
" vius Flaccus (about the year of Rome 628 :
" and 123 years before the Christian aera),
*' when Africa had scarcelj^ recovered itself
*' from the miseries of the last Punic war,
" it underwent another desolation, terri-

' Marco Plautio Hypsseo, et Marco Fulvio Flacco coss.
vixdum Africam a bellorum excidiis quiscentem, horribilis et
inusitata perdltio consecuta est. Namque cum per totam
Africam immensae locustarum multitudines coaluissent, et
non modo jam spem cunctarh frugum abrasissent, herbasque
omnes cum parte radicum et folia" arborum Cum teneritudine
ramorum consumpsissent, verum etiam amaros cortices, at-
que arida ligna perrosissent, repentinp arreptse vento, atque
jn'globos coactse, portatseque diu per aerem, Africano pelago
immersae sunt. Harum cum immensos acervos longe undis
urgentibus fluctus per extenta late littora propulissent ; te-
trum nimis atque ultra opinionem pestiferum odorem tabida
et putrefacta congeries exhalavit : unde omnium pariter ani-
mantlum tanta pestilentia consecuta est, ut avium peCudum
et bestiarum, corruptione aeris dissolutarum, putrefacta pas-
sim cadavera, vitium corruptionis augerent. At vero quanta
fuerit hominum lues, ego ipse, dum refero, perhorresco.
Siquidem in Numidia, in. qua turn Micipsa rex erat, octin-
genta millia hominum : circa oram maritimam, quae maxime
Carthaginiensi atque Uticensi litori adjacet, plusquam ducenta
liillia, periisse traditur, Pauli Oro sii contra Paganos Hist.
I. 5. c. xi.

134

" b}e in its effects, and contrary to all experi-
" ence. For after that immense numbers of
*' locusts had formed themselves in a huge
** body all over the region, and had ruined all
" hope^ of any fruits of the earth ; after they
" had consumed all the herbage of the -field,
" without sparing the roots, and the leaves'
" of the trees with the tendrils upon which
" they grew ;- and had gone so far as to pene-
" trate with their teeth through the / bark,
" however bitter, and into the dry and solid
" timber ; by a sudden blast of wind they were
^' wafted away in different portions ; and hav-
*' ing for a while been supported in the air,
" they were ultimately all plunged in the sea.
^' After this, the surf threw up upon that long
." extended coast such immense heaps of their
" dead and corrupted bodies, that there ensu-
" ed frpm their putrefaction a most unsuport-
" able and poisonous stench. This soon
" brought on a pestilence which affected every
" species of anirnals ; so that all bjrds, and
" sheep, arid cattle, also the wild beasts of
" the field, diedj and their carcasses, being
*' soon rendered putrid by the foulness of the
" air, added greatly to the general corruption,
-" In respect to m.en, it is impossible, without;

135

**■ horror, to describe the shocking devastation.
" In Numidia, where at that time Micipsa was
*' king, eighty thousand persons .perished,
" Upon that part of the sea-coast which bor-
" dered upon the region of Carthage and
" Utica, the number of those who were car-
" ried off by this pestilence is said to have
" been two hundred thousand."

The prophets, in describing cruel and de-
structive nations,., ofien borrow their allusions
from ' locusts: so great was the terror of them.
Hence Joel, when\1^^ na^ntions the inroad
of the Assyrians, and their confederates, upon
Israel, accompanies it with references to this
purpose — : — Ch. i. ver. Q. A nation is come up
upon my land, strong, and without number — —

V' 7f 'He hath laid my vine waste, and bark-
ed my fig-tree: he hath made it clean bare, and
cast it away (i. e. made it quite useless) : the
iranches thereof are made whit^:

Ver.. 12. The vine is dried up, and the fig-
tree languisheth, the pomegranate-tree, the palm-
tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees
of the field, are withered: because joy is with->

ered away from the sons of men.

f

' See Bochart H jerpzoic. pars posterior, 1. .iv. c. 3, p. 463,
46*,

136

Ch. ii. Ver, 2. A day of < darkness and of
gloominess: a day of clouds and thick dark-
ness,' — —

V. 3., Afire devour eth before them, and be-
hind them aflame burneth: the land is as the gar- .
den of Edin before them, and behind them a deso-
late wilderness,

V. g. They shall run upon the wall, they

shall climb up upon the hquses ; they shall enter
into the 'voindows like ajhief.

V- 10. The earth shflll quake before them,
the heavens shall tremble ; the sun and the moon
shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their

. shining. —In the book of Nahum, ch. iii.

ver. 15. the prophet, describing the ruin of
the Assyrian monarch, and the various na-
tions of his empire, makes use of the same
allusions. There shall the fire devour thee: the
sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like
the canker-worm: ' make thyself many as the *
canker-worm, make thyself many as the locusts.

V. 17. • 'Tfiy crowned are as the locusts, and

' The meaning 13 — tifough thou shouldst increase arid tnulti'
ply Hie these insects, yet thou shalt he soon annihilated : and
tjiy place known no more.

* The canker-worm (the £§s;j;o! of the LXX:)' seems to be
the locust («Kgi») in its first stage upon the earth : before jt:
can fly.

137

thi^ captains as tJie great grasshoppers^ whicli
camp in the hedges in the cold day^ but when the
sun ariseth they flee away^ and their place is not
known^ ^c, The author of the book of Pro-
verbs takes notice, that the locusts have no kingy
yet go they forth all of them by bands ^ ch. xxx.
ver. 27. These bands are very formidable,
while they survive ; and even in their disso-
lution destructive '.

Of the Deitie's invoked in such Gdlamities.

The Egyptians* had gods, in whom they
trusted to free their country from these terri-
ble invaders. This we may infer from the
Greciarrs ; whose theology, as I have before
observed, w^s borrowed from the people of
Egypt, Hercules was a deity of this depart-
ment ; by \yhose mediation the cicadae, or lo-
custSi were said to have been silenced, and
ultimately driven away. Something of this

* See Isaiah, ch, xxxiii. ver. ^.- — ^Yow,, spoil shall be gath-
ered like the gathering of the caterpillar {or CgKpijos) : as the rurir
ning to and fro of locusU shall he run upon them.

I?w» 3i <rvi»)ih<t!ir»i t» irxvlM ifUJ», ff'Kja »«» ftE7»A8, o» Tgairov w»

Ttf rutuyefyv «*gi3«5' wraij tfutculite-nt ifu>. Versio Giaeca Sept.
The difference between the original and Greek version is
very considerable : but the allusion to locusts is the same in
both, :- <■

138

sort we meet with in ' Antigonus Carystius,
who mentions the Uke of Perseus. Diodorus
says, that they * disappeared, and never re-
turned. This is supposed to have happened
in^the, lower part of Italy near Rhegium : and
the hke is * mentioned to have been recorded .
by the people of Mount CEta. They stiled
locusts xp§voTS?f cornopes ; which the other
Grecians called parnopes: a,nd thty worship-
ped Hercules under the title oVQprnopion^ for
having freed their country from locusts. We
may suppose, that the sa:me department was
assigned to Apollo by the ' JEolians of Asia ; .
who worshipped him under the title of* Par-
nopius : and we know, that upon this coast
he was esteemed for driving away flies and *
vermin. The locust, at least the species of it
stiled t6tt;| by the Greeks, was esteeined "^

' C. 1. and c. 2. See in Photius Cononis ?«!iy««s sriftTm,
p. 426. ^ '.-

l iv. p. 229, 230;

? K*t ye(i one* tm itn^ifKai, 83 «i 0(n(i«i xg{>«T«e; j^fyvrt, Kcj^
UTCima rifvtiriiti v»f uuftii 'H;«kAm tciettXhiiyiii teiigi3«> }C*i'*'
Strabo, 1. 13. p. 912.

* 0»n« avrnMixM Ut^^txif AirtXXmi. Stfabo, ibid.

* Hence called :s,fi,tv6ivt.

? Both sacred and nausical. .. . Ttrriyctf h^s ««< fittrmvst

i39

sacred. ' The Athenians wore golden cicadae,
or grasshoppers, in their hair, to denote the
antiquity of their race : and particularly to
shew, that they were, auroj^^oi/sj »ui y«ys»s;f,
of the earth-born breed: a title much respected,
and of long standing.

The Egyptians trusted much to the fecun-
dity of their soil; and to the deities Isis and
Sarapis, who' were the conservators of all plen-
ty. They like#ile placed great confidence in
other gods, who' were the directors of their
times and seasons. But these powers^ could'
not stand before Moses, the servant of the
true God. He brought upon them an host
of enemies, who laid waste the fruits of their
ground t and rendered all their confidence
vain. As Egypt is in great measure bounded
to the feast and north by seas : and is far re-
move^ from those » regions in Africa where
locusts particularly generatCj it is not much
* infested with> them. ^ However, at the time

Plutarch. Syaipos. viii. p. 727. Of Euromiis and the Grass-
hopper see Clemens Alex. Cohort, p. 2.

' These insects are commoti in Arabia scarce in Egypt.

liasselqyist, p. 233.

• The grasshopper or locust is not formed for travelling over
the sea. Hasselquist's Letters, p, 444, He mentions see-
ing a number of them coming towards his ship in the Medi-

140

spoken of, an east wind prevailed all day and
all night; and the whole country in the morn-
ing swarmed with these insects. Hence we
know, that they came from Arabia : and that
they must have passed the Erythrean, or Red-
sea, which was the barrier to the east. Be-
fore them there was no such locusts as they^
neither after them shall be such. Exod. ch. x.
ver, 14. Hence Pharaoh called ^r Mjj-^ J- fli«df
Aaron in haste ; acknowledged ; his sin ; and
begged to be delivered from this deaths v, 1 7.
And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind^ '
which took away the hcusts^ and cast them into
the Red-sea. They were now filled ; and not
so easily buoyed up in the air : hence they
were all lost in. that gulph. The storm which
carried them away, served to bury them ia
the waters. ,

terranean off the Spanish coast. For one that came on board,
(ttf hundred were ' certainly drowned, though we were within
pistoi-ihot of the shore. P. 445.

141

THE MINTH PLAGUE,
PALPABLE DARKNESS.

£xoD. Ch. X.

Ver. 21. And the Lord said unto Moses ^~.
Stretch out thine hand toward heaven^ that there
maybe darkness 'over the land of Egypt, even
darkness whicWxhay be felt.

V. 22. Ani Moses stretched forth his hand
toward heaven: and there was a thick darkness
in all the land of Egypt three days.

V. 23. They saw not one another, neither rose
any from his place for three days: but all the
childr-eri of Israel had light in their dwellings.

This judgment was very extraordinary; nor
had any thing similar been ever experienced
by this or any other nation. It was certainly
directed with a particular view; and bore a
strict analogy with the sentiments and idolatry
of the people who suffered. They were a
wise and learned nation ; with minds much
enlightened. Hence, to shew the great extent
of Solomon's knowledge, it is said, that his
wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of

142

the east country^ and all the "wisdom of ' Egypt-
They had traditions tra:nsmitted of the prin-
cipal events from the commencement of time ;
and had been acquainted with the history of
creation : and we may, from particular traces,
perceive that they knew the mode in which
it was carried -on ; and the hand by which it
was effected. But they chose to express every
thing by allegory : and these allegories were
again described by cymbols, and hieroglyphi-*
cal representations, to wftich they paid an
idolatrous reverence.. By these means the
original object became obscure ; and the re-
ality was lost in the semblance. They looked
upon light and upon fire, thp purest of ele-
ments, to ,be proper types of the most pure
God. And they regarded the sun,Hhe great
fountain of light, as a just emblem of his glo-
ry ; and likewise of his salutary influence up-
on the world; This was spepious, but, of a
dangerous tendency ; as it drew away their
attention from the proper object of worship :
which became by degrees obscured, and was
at last totally effaced. Both the name and

' Moses was learned in all the iv'tsdoin of the Egyptians.-'^
Acts, ch. vii. ver. 22.

^gyptus artium mater. Macrob. Sat. 1. I. c. 15./ p. 180.

J

143

idea of the true God was lost ; and all adora-
tion was j)aid to the sun, and to the earth,
under the title of ' Osiris, Ammon, Orus, Isis,
and the like. The sun, in consequence of it,
was esteemed to be the soul of the * world :
and Diodorus Siculus mentions, that the anr
cient Egyptians supposed this luminary and
the moon to rule all things by their influence ;
and that they were through all ages («to tth
uiins xeti icotXiitdi jysnffiui) the chief ^ deities,
and the conservators of all things. And not
_only the conservators, but the * creators.
Hence it is said, that they esteemed the sun
as, * mundi caput, the principal being in the uni-

' The tides were various. ^ ) " "^

Te Serapim Nilus, Memphis veneratur Osirim.

^,^ Martianus Capella, Hymn. 2.

See Ausonius, Epigram. 30. »gj

* The same notion prevailed in other parts. Sol mens
mundi. Macrob. Sat. 1. 1. p. 69. and 204.

' Solem et lunam deos esse. ibid. p. 210.
^ T<vf 0* «vv xasr' ?AfyvTTe> ttft^uTmsf T« 9raPwei«v yvitfttitK, taHf-
ihi^mren m T<y MTfieiy xeti ti(> tm a'Km flvn* KKT<S7rA«yiiiT«e;) xeti

tlJiitt luu TDy ZEAnngii, at ro» ftsv OTi^n, t»> is IriV' cttfuercit, I. 1.
p. II.

* Solem mundi caput, rerumqiie satorem. Macrob. Sat.
1. 1. p. 204.

T«T»5 di rxj detfs i(pif»ncu tit rvfimtirdiittfM SwBssiii. Diodor.
1, l.p. 11

144 ,

verse^ by whom all things were produced.
Homer, who borrowed from Egypt, ascribed
to the sun intellect, and universal perception.

Odyss. 1. 12. V. io§.

Of the Adoration paid to the Sun, and to Fire.

Not only the Egyptians, but the Ethiopians,,
Persians, Phenicians, Syrians, Khodians, ap.d
other nations, esteemed themselves Heliadse,
or descendants of the Sun : and they worship-
ped him both as their sovereign and parent.
Hence Persina, tTje queen of Ethiopia, is in-
troduce^ by Heliodorus, as iiivoking the sun
in the following manner. ' E'n-ixsx'hjjffdo) fAug-
rvg 6 yiva^yrji fifjbav 'HXiog, Let the* Sun, the
great author of Mur race, be invoked, as a witness
upon this occasion. A like address is made by
a person called HydaspCs to both luminaries
at a sacrifice. * n /:i),iiT'roTtt. HA<e,- «a< "XsKtivfi .
hor-^oim — Our^Lord the Sun; and our Governess
the Moon. The Egyptians had a great con-

' -lEthop. 1. 4. p. 175. SeeXenophon Kugsa-aiJsd*, 1. 8.
p. 233. »

'Helrod. 1. 10. p. 518.

The author stiles himself — xn^ (pcml, nfnmytf, rm atfi' 'HA«
ys»si{. — ^HA(e?»j«{. p. 519.

145

nection with the Ethiopians : their rites and
institutes, and their manner of writing were
in great measure the ' same. In consequence
of which we find this luminary invoked by
them, as the principal fountain of all human
bemg. fl dsffiroTo, HKut xai Seot ■TravTSg, oi Ttjv

ioTi To<; aiiios ^iotg (rvvoix.ov. They are the
words, which it was usual for the priest to
speak at a funeral in the person of one de-
ceased. At the same time he held up towards
heaven an ark, in which the remains of the
deceased were deposited. " O, sovereign
" Lord, the Sun, and all ye other deities, who
*' bestow life upon mankind ; receive me, I
" beseech you ; and suffer me to be admitted
" to the society of the immortals,"

They worshipped also the elements, and
particularly fire and water. Er; xui vw sv ti}
uvoi^ei Tti aym "^s^otTriiog h 6s^u.iriia, iia, irugog xa,i
iiiuTog yivBTai Even at this day, says ^ Porphy-

rUfintK THIS 7nt>MMs cunfiiuK icn^a t«i; eviCiimurhwi,- — x. r. A. Kset
vtMM T««v$' Irega Ktiu-xm hicni^yjin. DiodorU^ Sic. 1. 3.

p. I44<. See also p. l45.

* Porphyry de Abst. 1. 4. p. 379. ^ Ibid. p. 374.

L

146

ly, at tlie opening of the sanctuary of the holy
Serapis^ the service is performed by rites both of'
fire and water. And he gives a reason for
acting in this manner—' lihmi zm ■tiv^ criSovrss
liocXija. rm ^oiyjitaiv. It Seems, that water and
fire were two of the. chief object Sy which they
worshipped. Hence fire and water miiagled
wer^ no improper judgment, aa has been ob-r
served before. They thought, that fire was a
Mving . animal— ' AiyvxTioiiri 5e vtvoiKisat ^rvg ro
■ f/ioiot umi sf;i.il/uj^oii. The Egyptians esteemed
fire to be a iimng informed animal. But in ge^'
neral they had a still higher noti'on of this ele-
ment, as we learn from ' Diodorus. — To h

TTV^ f/,sDt^fj07JVlVOyjiVO» HipaJS-OV OVOfA-aa-Kl, (.OlZilTQiVTii

jxiyo^iivai ^sov^ y.a,i -ttoXXcx, ffV[/Act.y\.'kiti -Tira.fftv .sig

ysvia-iv r'i x.ex.i viXiian uv^rifftv. They denominated

fire Hephaistos^ esteeming it a mighty deity;

which contributed largely towards *■ getter ation^

' Porphyry de Abst. 1. 4. p. 373. •> " *

T5(5 Myvn-Tioii to iJsig. Luciaiius in Jove Tragssdo, vol. 2.
p,223.

* Herddot. 1. 3. c. 16. p. 202. Fire was esteemed a god
by the Persians. Tii^reii y»g Seov vo/n^isa-i uvxt to w^. ibidi

^ L. 1. p. 11.

* This opinion was followed by Heraclitus. .

Ex ra-Bjej Tit ■jrmrx n-vKfaim, xa,i ss rar* avec)i.i/if(itt. ' DlOg.

147

and the ukimaie perfection of beings. The true
Egyptian name seems to have been <1>^«, Phtha,
or rather ' <J>^«j, Phthas. It is however ex*-
pressed Phtha by Jamblichus ; who mentions
this felementaty deity, as, '. Jfli^-'^fy'^os *»?> th£
divine intellect., by which all things were fa-
shioned. They looked upon him as the chief
guardian of their country. ^ Pthas, custodem
jfEgyptii In respect to the adoration of the
elemejit, * DiodOrus endeavours to |;pologize
-for the custom, by saying, that the divifte title
of Hephaistus, or yulcan, was given to fire,
e<5 fAvufbiji^ xai Ttf/t.7iv adavavov, by Way of honour y
and to be a perpetual memorial of the great and
true tteneftictor, the god of fire. But imfor^
tunately this learned writer was not japprisedj
that the real benefactor, the only true God,
was antecedently obscured, and at last banish-
ed from the hearts of men. In consequence

. Laert, 1. 9, p, 551 . also by the Stoics— Omnia vestri, Balbe,
Solent ad igneam vim referre, Cicero de Nat. Deor. L 3.
p. 1238,

' ^totq, i Hip«i$-«; rn^cc Uifn^iTcuf. Suidas. The name was
in use all over Egypt, ,

* De Myster. sect. 8, p, 159, <bt*.

3 Cicero de Nat, Deor. 1. 3. c. 22. p. 1241. It is some-
times expressed wrongly— Opas.

♦L. f p, 341. c.

L SL

148

of this he was abridged of the honour dne ta
him, and to him only. For when a bhnd
reverence was paid to the element, as a sym-
bol, and representative, it degenerated quick-
ly into a lower and more vile idolatry : the
primary object being lost in its emblem; and
the deity supplanted by the substitute.

I have mentioned, that the Egyptians were
a people of great learning ; who seem to have
been superior in science to any nation upon
earth. But they prostituted these noble gifts;
and, through an affectation of Inystery and re-^i
finement, they abused the knowledge afforded
them : for, by veiling every thing under, a
type, they at last lost sight of their original in-
telligence. They at first looked upon ' li^kt
and 7?/-^, and the great fountain of light, the
sun, merely as proper emblems of the. true
deity, the god of all purity and brightness?
But such was the reverence., which they paid
to them^ that, in process of time, they forgot
the hand by which these things were framed;
and looked upon the immediate means, and

' Orpheus ^composed his chief deity out of tisible ele-.
tnents-^

Xlv^, xat via^fXMt yxu, Ktit ai6fi^, iv% ri liiti- itfiii^. Orphic.
Frag. p. 366. edit. Gesner. also lluseb.-^ P. E. 1. 3. c. 9. p.
loo. and p. 103. G* -

149

support of life, as the primary efEcient cause ;
to the exclusion of the real creator, What
then could be more reasonable and apposite,
than for a people, who thus abused their in-
telligence, and prostituted their faculties ; who
raised to themselves a god of day, their Osiris;
and instead of that intellectual light, the wis-
dom of the Almighty, substituted a created
and inanimate element, as a just object of wor-
ship : I, say, wl^at could be more apposite,
than for people of this cast to be doomed to a
judipial and temporary ^darkness.? The judg-
ment 'bore a strict analogy with the crime :
and as it was a just punishment to them ; so
it was a proper warning to others, ijot to give
way to the like mystery and illusion.

Night ji^Qred as a primary Deity,

Nor was this all. As the Egyptians be-
trayed an undue reverence for the sun, and
Hght : so they shewed a like veneration , for
' night and darkness, and in this thqy were

' ^lian mentions a mark upon the sacred steer, ling amr-
■nrm -m (farts en»t t» rxoros irgic^uTi^ot. By which was intimat-r
ed, that darkness was prior to day. It is expressed «£««;:
AVhich is a blunder of the printer : for the translator evident-

150

followed by other nations. It is said, that
they paid a religious regard to the Mugale, a
kind of mole, (supposed to be the mus ara-,
neus) on account of its imagined blindness;,
and, from! its state of darkness, they thought it
a proper er^ablem of iiight. For night was es-
teemed by them sacred, as l^eingmore ancient
than day. ' Triv ^sv ya^ f^vyuXi^v sxTi6et(tff0a(

Tfi (puTos riyavTO "jF^sfCvxi^oy' Hesychius men-
tions a temple of Venus Scotia in Egypt,
whose rites we may presurne had some refer-
ence to night-" * A<p^olfTr!g ly^OTiag h§pv xar
AtyvwTov. The Egyptian name of Venus was
^ Athor ; and ope of her principal placef of
worship was ^ Athor-B^ty expressed by the

ly read raaro}, as appears from itg being rendereid tenehrg,
^Kan de Nat. Animal. Londini 1744. 1. xi. c. x. p. 617.
' rw wKrei irgvn^ivw. Orphejus apud Eusebium Chron.

p.-4. ■ '■' "•'■■'"' '' :^"-'^' ' '' ~' '■"■'■

' Plutarch Sympos. L 4. q. S. p. 67Q.

* Hesych. Sxunw.

^ — — TKv A^{«5(Ti)v J^iyvTTTiti xaAsa-iv A<«j. Etymolog. Mag.

* Herodptjis gtiles it Ant^^ti^is, Atarbechi^ : and adds, that
it was in the nome Prosopitis — iv tt »vrvi A^joSitdj l^oi ayuv
ii^vTcci. In this pr&vitice stood a temple much reverittced, dedi^
cated to Venus. 1 2. c. 41. p. 123. ■'

What is Btiled Beth by some writers, was expressed Bech

151

Grecians ^thribis; the inliabitants of which
were the Athribitos. These were the persons-,
according tp Strabo, who worshipped the Mu-
gale, that emblem of primeval darkness. ' Mu-
ytt.'knv A§§iQira.i {rk'^uffi). From hence we
may be pretty certain, that here the rite's
Were celebrated of Nocturnal Venus : and that
her chief votaries were the priests of Athribisr
and the Mugale was her representative. The
same ritos^ were probably practised at the city
Butus: for here those animals, when they
died, were solemnly * buried. Diodorus Si-
eulus mentions a ternple o f Hecate 3 Scotia,
denominated in like manner ixoux night: \\'hich
stood to the west of Memphis, pear the Ache-
rusian 'plains.

The Phenician theology was in great mea-
sure borrowed from * Egypt : according to

bjf others, being strititly synonymous, and denoting a city or
place. What is named Balbec by some, is called Balbeth
by others. See Gulielmus Tyrius. Bee is at this day in
Coptic a city. ^JLki^ Bakj, ■nt'Kti, urbs. Qopt. Diet, of the
i learned Mr Woide, p. 11 .

' Strabo, 1. 17. p. 1167.

» Herod. 1. 2. c. 67, p. 135,

^ L. 1. p. 87. There was also a temple of Venus Sk«t(«
in PhsEstum in tirete. ■ Etymolog. Mag. KvSe^iut.

■* See Lucian de Syria Dea : and Plutarch Isis and Osirie-

U2

which the wind Colpias and his wife Baati,
esteemed the same as ' ni^hi, were the authors
of the first beings. But the Egyptian notions
upon thi? head may be more plainly discover-?
ed from the early Grecian^ : who, under the
titles of Danaid?e and Melarapodes, of Cad-
mians and Orphites, introduced into their new
settlements the religion of the country they
had quitted. In the poetry attributed to Oi"-
pheu§, we find many instances of night, not
only personified, but esteemed the chief cause,
from whence all things proceeded- We hf|ve
accordingly the following address in Pne of
the hymn§.

I will nng of night, the parent of gods an^
men: Night the origin of all things.

fie addresses again this sable deify in a pas-
sage preserved by Proclus.

Ma<a ^im uvuTfi, Ny| ufii^ote rr

' Baau — TST8 h mura t^ftmvuf. Sanchqmath. ^^p^d Eusebiium
P. E. 1. j, c. X. p. 34.

* Orphip hymn the second. Of Orpheus bringing his no-
tions of the gods from Egypt, see Euseb. P. E. 1. 3. c. %
p. 103. ■ .

? Orphic FragmentSj edit. Gesneri, p. 377.

15S

0, immortal Night, who first brought the gods
into being.

Damascius having inquired, vi^i rm T^uTti? ag-
;^^jjj, about what was the first principle in the
world, gives this as an aneient Egyptian dbc-

trme.T • jU>aXXov 3g xai oi AiyvxTioi uppyrcv

amiAvtiKutri. 2 KOTOS ya^ uyva/s'ov avrriv uvofAci-
xatrij Tgis xai tssto sxift^f^i^ovTss. The Egyptians
have chosen to celebrate the first cause as un-
speakable. They accordingly style it darkness
unknqwn : and mention it with a threefold accla-
mation. Again — * fsru yuv xai A.iyuTrTioi'X^OTO'Z
uyvus'ov sxaXscj "^xoros vireg vori<rtv <Kcx,(rav. In this
manner the Egyptians stiled the first principle an
inconceivable darkness : night and darkness past
all imagination. This is perfectly consonant to
passages from the same author, quoted by the
very learned ^ Cudworth. — ^"H jstsv jt/wa tuv b'km
ap^ "^xoTos aywffov uf^vsiievr;. x. t. X. There is

' From some extracts out of a MSS. of Damascus, com-
municated for my perusal by thaj: truly learned man, and my
excellent friend, D,x John Cl^apman, archdeacon of Sud-
bury, &c.

* From the same extracts.

' Cudworth, b. 1. c. iv. p. 414'. properly 354. See also
the learned Jablonski.

Pantheon -^gypt. 1. 1. c. 1. p. 14^ 15, 16,

X,54

one origin of all things; celebr^ddd by the name of
unknown (incomprehensible) darkness. Again
— TlpuTtiv a^VflV '^xoTOi wip vuffav vorjirtv^ kotos
ayvuffoii. They hol4, that the first beginning or
cause of things was darkness beyond all concep-
tion; an unknown darkness. Cronos was es-
teemed the first deity .J and he is said to have
been nursed arid brought up by this ancient
personage, Night.

'H Na| ^ctffiXiuii iravruv ytmv. Night ii SOve~
reign of all creation. Aristotle mentions it as
the opinion of many * theologists, that ail
tilings were conceived and produced by Night.
And of the things thus produced the mundane
egg, according to Aristophanes, was the first:
^nd in this were contairied the rudiments 6f
other beings.

' (Cudworth abotre,

* FtOffl the extracts above.

' Ibid. Proclus Speaks of the demioargic deity, as ir^nc^

ir»^aiym Ki»r» rcci tlTrttnntii Nvxro;. In Timseum, I. 2. p. 96.

iit.) X. r. >i. Metafjhys. 1. I*, c. 6. p. 477.

^ dgnhi. V. 696. i»n vjrmfn^t, ovum vfentosum— T&vtim Sine
concubitu.

155

Those emigrants from Egypt, who first settled
in Gteece, introduced not only the mytholo-
gy, but the worship of this deity. Hence we
read of a very ancient temple, where this god-
dess gave out oracles ; and which we may in-
fer from several circumstances to have been

at Delphi, the s^at of the Pytho. ' Mat^

TSiOfj St e> T^siTtj ij Nt;f i-^§ri(rfjia)^fi&$tt stra &ifji,ic.
It was an oracalar temple, in which the goddess
Night first gave out responses, and afterwards
Themis. Pausanius mentions a sanctuary of
the same sort dedicated to her at Megara *. —
To T^g Nuxroj fri:fKXsfJi,syov MavTStov — (gi/ Mgyec-
^oig). The title of Venus ^ MeX«v/j, (or MsXew-
II n) Melanis the black or dark, is mentioned
by the.«ame writer : arid is thought by some
to have been a translation of the Egyptian *
4-thor, which was of the same purport. There
were seTfifal temples to the s goddess under
this denomination.

? Mentioned by the Scholiast, aqthor of the ngeAeys^wsv* to
the Pyth. Odes of Pinjlar. edit. Oxon. p. IgS,
»L. l.p. 97. *
*Ibidi 1. 8. p. 610. p. 763.

* Athor, Nox,: ihe opinion of the learned Jablonsky, 1. 1.,
c. 1. § 7. & § 13. Pantheon ^gyptiac. See the whole
treatise, which is replete with learning.

* One temple near Corinth, Paus. 1. 2. p. 115. another
near Mantinea in Arcadia, 1. 8. p. 610. a third at Thespise,

156

I am sensible, that some of these histories
did not relate to chaotic and primeval dark-
ness ; but to an event much later, yet of high
antiquity. Whatever the reference may have
been, it is certain, that night was made a dei-
ty, and ' worshippeid. The Egyptians were
once possessed of the real truth, contained in
these allusions ; but their priests so veiled it,
in types and allegories, to prevent its being
profaned by the ' vulgar, that they lost sight

ibid. 1. 9. p. 763. a<^j<3<ti); MiXatiia h^n. Also at Ephe-
sus a temple.

', It is-said, that the usual sacrifice to this goddess was a
cock. Huic ubi sacrificaretur, mos fuit, ut gallus immolare-
tur ; tanquam animal silehtio adversariiind, ut in libro se-
cundo de Diis Theagenes. Natalia Comes, I. 3. c. xii. p.
119.

* Proclus speaks in favour of these figurative and symbo-
lical references of the Egyptians ; which were copied by Py-
thagoras and Timaeus; and he gives this remarkable history
of Plato, who disapproved of writijig or speaking too plainly

■ ' ' Itfti a% T8T0(5 XS» «UT05 nPl«T»» t» «M«$ DTi«0-«TO TBS ir«»T«S iK.

TB ?r|o;jS(gs >\.lyiinai ha x,su t«( s-»t)T«T9^«(;, ^ns'i, x«Tie$i)Aav «uT«v

■KtiwuTi Ttiv nfictv. In Timasum, 1. 1. p. 40. Besides the
philosophers above mentioned, Plato too blamed those ivia disclosed
their knowledge cff-hand, or at once ; because at this rate every
cohler would get acquainted with their meaning. Strange ! as
if the more widely truth were diffused, th.e less would be its
excellence ; upon the same principles, if a man were a mendi-
cwt, Plato would abridge hin? of the light of the sun. This

157

of it themselves, and could nevei: recover it,
The whole nation, through mystery and re-
finement, were led into irretrievable error; and
all partook of it who borrowed from them.

Night and shade are mere negatives. But
we have seen, that the Egyptians introduced
them as real, sensible, and substantial beings;
and gave them a creative power. They were
therefore very justly condemned to undergo a
palpable and coercive darkness; such as pre-
vented all intercourse for three ' days. In
short, they suffered a preternatura;l deprivation
of light, which their luminary Osiris could
not remedy; and they were punished with
that essential night, which they so foplishly
had imagined, and at last found realized.

selfish pride, and these contracted notions were the cause of
much doubt and ignorance, and of infinite error. Homt
much more noble is the gospel principle, and that universal
and beneficent ordinance — Go — and teach all nations. l\.

' It is said, — neither rose any from his place for three days.
Exod. X. 23. This seems to have been a phrase, by which
was signified, to exert one's self, in order to set about any
operation. Hence we read — Arise, go over Jordan — Arise^
and be doing. — Arise, Lord, save me, — I will arise, and ga
to my Father. — Arise, and let us go up to Zion. — Many more
instances to this purpose may be found.

158

Recapitulation,

^ Before we conclude this article, let us look
back, and consider some of the leading fea-
tures in the general character of this people.
They abounded with emblematical deities,
find were beyond measure attached to them. ;
sind their learning, as well as their outward ,
sanctity, made their religion very specious,
and captivating, to those who were witnesses
of their rites. I have mentioned the characr.
ter. given of them by Herodotusr— ' ^iotrtCn^

^s vi^iero"^ [4iCi7^foi -TcavTW avS^wTem — that of

qU people upon earth they were the mast extravor
gantly devoted to their gads and religion.' They
were likewise scrupulous observers of signs
^nd omens. The same writer says of them —

a-Ttairi avd^tufroKri. Tsvofbsva yap TS^ctrog (pvKaffffisirt
'y^a(po[Ai'Joi TO) iroQctiVQU, xai ]<v xots tiffepov vu^a-
TT^jfcrioy rauTm ysi^jjra*, xara. ruvro W(/uiiniori wra-
Q^ffS(T§cti. Thef hm^ diMingmshed more portents
and prodigies, than all people in the world collec-^
tively. And when any thing esteemed a prodigy

' Herod. 1. 2. c. 37. p. 120. ' ' ,

» Ibid. c. 82. p. HI.

159

happens^ they observe and write dawn whatever
ensues upan it. jiudif, in process of time ^ an/y
similar appearance should occur; thet^ imc^ine
that the same consequences willfolkm. If suck
then was the disposition of this people, and
they were out of a superstitious fear eontinu*
ally attending to portents and presages, and
making false inferences, to the great abuse of
their own reason, and the seduction of others :
if this were the case, we then see a farther-
analogy and propriety in God's judgments.
He, with great wisdom as well as justice, exhi-
bited before their eyes, some real prodigies;,
which could not be mistaken ; and punished
them in their own way for their credulity and
superstition. It was not the occupation of a
luminary; the glancing of a meteor in the
atmosphere ; much less an unusual birth ; or
the fantastic flight of a bird ; which now de-
manded their attention. ' Their sacred river
was universally polluted, and turned to blood.
The very dust of their sanctified soil was ren-
dered infectious, and produced nauseous boils
and blains. Their serene air became overcast ;
and rain and hail, lightning and thunder, with
fire mingled with rain, ensued : phaenomena,
grievous to behold, and fatal in their conse-

160

quences, such as before were never known
ill Egypt. Lastly, the children of light, the
offepring of the Sun, were condemned to a
preternatural state of night. Their god, the
luminary, rose at his stated times, and perform-
ed his function ; yet could not dispel this pain-
fial, oppressive, and impenetrable darkness*
All these, as well as the other judgments com- '
memorated, were real prodigies: and, as I
have repeatedly urged, they were all pointed^
and significant. Their force and purport
would have been in great measure lost upon
any other people ; but they were particularly
applicable to the Egyptians, as they bore a
strict analogy with the superstitions and idola-
try of that nation. There remains still one
judgment, more terrible and affecting, than
any which have preceded.

I6i

TIIE TENTH ^LAGUE:

DEATH OF THE EIRST-BORN.

' Exodus; Chap; xi;

Ver. 4. ./ind Moses said^ Thus saith the
Ldrd^ about midnight will 1 go out into the mdst
of Egypt.

V. 5. And all the first-horn in the land of
Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh,
that siiteth upon his throne, even unto the first-
horn of the maid'-servanti that is behind the milt;
and all ih^ first-born of beasts.

V. b". And there shall be a great cry through-
out nil the I'anahf Egypt ^ such as there was none
like itf hor shall be like it any 'rhore: "

V; 7; But against any of the 'children of Js-
tael shall not 'a dog move his tofiguej against man
br beast : that ye may know, hoW that the Lord
doth put a difference between the Egyptians and
Israel:

V. 8. And all these thy servants shall come
down unto me^ and bow down themselves unto me,
sayings Get thee out, and all the people that follow
thee; and eft er that. I will go out.

Here should come in three verses of the
M

162

preceding chapter (v. 27, 28. and 2$.) which
have been certainly misplaced.— 5a? thi Lord
hardened Fharaolis hearty and he "Would not let
them go.

And Pharaoh said unto him. Get thee from me^
take heed to thyself see my face no more: for in
that daij thou seest my face thou shalt die.

And Moses said^ Thou hast spoken well, t

'will see thy face again no more. And he werd

out from FharUoh in a great anger j

In this- interview Mos^ speaks \*ith great
•dignity, as well as authority, in consequence
of the high commission which had been dcr-
legated by God to him. He -gives public no^
tice to all,' that at naidnight the first-born in
every family, from the first-born of Pharabh
to the first-born of the maid that worked at
the mill, should be cut off. The working al
the mill was looked upon as the lowest and
severest drudgery ; and was allotted to the
meanest slaves. He says, that there shall be
a great cry throughout all the land j such as
they had never experienced before^ nor would
ever be witness to again. The calamity there-
fore must be great, ,and adequate, to this ex-*
traordinary mournings since no nation was sa

163

Addicted to tears and lamentations as the E-
gy|rtians. Hence in the Orphic Argonautics
Inentidn is made of

the * mourning of this people^ and the sdcred liba-
tions at the rites of Osiris. The Kke was ob-
served at their ^ funerals; where they gave
themseiVes up t6 all the extravagance of grief.
They ran about the streets in a most frantic
manner; defiling their face^ with soil, and fill-
ing the air with their cries. The whole was
attended with beatirig of their breasts, and with
stripes; and the same process was observed
Upon, the death of any sacred animal. Most
of their ceremonies were attended \<^ith weep-
ing in mertiory of the tears of Ms ; and there
was the same severe discipline observed. He-
rodotus mentions; that he was witness to thou-
sands, hay, he says, to myriads^ at a solemni-
ty, who whipped themselves in this * manner.

* V. 32.

* H»f AiytrffTint tetTifiaciit t^u ' to Iuou ti); fiftus MU imt^vtn.
&lax. Tyiius. IJissert. viii. p. S5.

* Dibdorus, 1. 1. p. 81. C. Herod. 1. 2. c. 85, 86. p. 141.
^ T««Tgrr«( y«j' ^n far* rvi Svrun jrtmts kxi icete'iu, ftu^ueis(

e«gT« troxxst miffmtn, 1. 2. c. 60. p. 132. See Plut&rch
tsis et Osir. p. Sise.
Julius Firmiciiis> p. 8.-«^also p. 20,21.
M S

THe Sidonians and Syrians used the sam'e^
lamentations, and accompanied them with
the Hke stripes in honour of Isis and « Adonis ;
the latter of which was another name for Osi-
ris. He was the same also as * Tham,uz, whose
celebrity was always carried on with tears and
riiourning by the natives of Biblus and Sidon.,
These rites they borrowed in very early times
fi'om the people of Egypt. But the grief of
the Egyptians^ at the season here foretold,
was to exceed every thing, either real or artifi-
cial, that had ever preceded. It was not the
loss of Osiris, a remote and imaginary misfor-
tune, which they wtre to lament ; but a more
intimate and affecting evil. Their first-born,
the pride and solace of each house, was to be
cut off: so that their sorrow was to be from
the heart, real, exuberant, and universal.
They were to be indulged in grief to satiety ;
and glutted with tears and lamentations.

' Lucian de Syria Dea, vol. 2. p. 87S.

* &cifiv^, oT£§ l^nnnvirai ASmit. Chron. Paschale,- p. 130.

The women of Israel were tainted with this infectious
idolatry, as we leatni from Ezekiel. Then he brought me U
the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was towards the
north,, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. c. S.
V. 1 1?. Keei ihi iKii yt)y«ixE; notlnusreii l^n^isrcu m QUftfia^. Vei.^

sio LXX. ' ■■

1^5

Of all this there was a proper warning given,
which must have served with wny towards
anticipating the calaniity by a fearful expecta-
tion ; and must have rendered the people in
general more ready to afford the Israelites
their dismission ; through whose detgntion
they suffered.

Qfttfi sacred Ordinance which preceded this
Event.

But there was a meaning in this judgment,
pi greater consequence than in any which
had preceded. The destroying angel was to
pass through the land of Egypt, and to display
his power over the people. And the IsraeUtes
were also liable to be cut ofl^ unless they ob-
served a particular caution prescribed, the on-
ly means of their salvation. In consequence
of this it pleased God to institute the Passover,
by the observance of which they were to be
secured for |he present ; arid a secret intima-
tion given of greatpr blessings hereaftef . Each
family was to take a ' lamb without spot or
blemish, upon the tenth day of the first month ;
and then to kill it upon the fourteenthgin the

' See Exodus xii. S, 4 to verse 28.

m

eyening. They were to dress it by fire wh\i
bitter herbs; and to eat it in a posture of
standing, with their loins girded, |;heir shoes _
upon their feet, and their staves in their hands.
The whole process was that of persons, whq
were sojourners and pilgrims j aiid who werq
petting out upon their passage through a wil-^
derness to a place of bliss, called Canaan ;
where their toil and travel were to end. But
to secure to themselves these advantages, and
to save their lives froni the destroying angel ;
they were to take the blopd of the blameless
lamb, which they sacrificed, and With a bunch
of hyssop, dipped in the blood, sprinkle, it upon
the posts and pillars at the entrance of their
housesj and upon the; thresholds ; and by this
token they were to be preserved. They were
likewise to take care that not a bone of it
should be broken. At the same time they
were ^ to eat nothing leavened^ In all your ha~
bitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Exod. ch. xii. ver. 14. And this day shat\
he untoSjoufor a f^emonal; and you shall keep it
a feast fo the Lord, throughout your generatidns:
you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Y-m^. For the Lord will pass through to

' Exodus xii. 20.

167

fmite the Egyptians: and when he seeth tlve bl()od
upon the lintel^ and m the two side-posts, the
Lord will pass over the door, and will not sufr
fer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to
smite you.

V. 28. And the children of Israel went away,
and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and
^aron^ so did they.

When the people had thus performed the
sacred ordinance, which had been enjoined
them ; they waited for the great event, which
was to bring about their dehverance. At last
the cry was up. For (ver. 29.) it came to pass,
that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born
in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pha-
raoh that sqt on his throne, unto the first-born of
the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the
first-born cf cattle.

V. 30. And Pharmh rose up in the night, he
and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and
there was a great cry in l^gypt ; for thej-e was
fiot a house where there was not one dead.

It may be urged, as each dead per§o^was
confined to a particular house, the grieMj)on
the occasion must have been in like jjHtner

I0»

limited and confined ; and there could not
be that general display of it, as has been inti-
mated. But this is a mistake. ' It has been
shewn, that the Egyptians of all nations' upoq^
earth were most frantic in their ^ grief: When
any person died in a family, all the relations,
and all the friends of the deceased, co-oper-
ated in a scene of sorrow. And the -process
was to quit the house; at which time the
women, with theit hair loose and their bosom^
bare, ran wild about the streets. The men
likewise, with their apparel equally disordered,
kept them Company ; all shrinking, and howl-
ing, and beating themselves, as they passed
along. This was upon the decease of a single
person. But when there was one dead in every
family, every house miist have been in great
measure vacatied ; and the streets quite filled
with mourning. Hence we may be aS5urec(
that these violent emotions- were general ; and
at the same time shocking past all imagination.
The suddenness of the stroke, and the imme-r
diate and universal cries of deqth at midnight,
that particularly awful season, must have filled
every soUl with' horror. It was therefore very
truly, said by the prophet of God — There shal^

\ See before Herod. 1. 2. c. 85, 8p. p. 1*1.

169

be a ^e at cry throughout all the land of E^ypt^^
such as there was none like ity (before) nor shall
he like it any m^re. Exod, ch. xi. ver. 6.r-T
And Pharaoh rose up in the nighty he and all Ms;
seraants, and all the Jlgyptians; an^, there was
a great cry in f^gypt. ch. xii. yert SO.
- One manifest purpose qf providence in these
signs and judgments \vas Xq punish the Egyp-
tians by a series of evils ; and this pn two aq-
counts. In the first place, because they were
blest with i^oble. parts, ^4 gf^at knov^rledge;
which they prostituted to a shameful degree.
And secondly, because,. after their nation had
been preserved by one of the Israelitish fami-
ly, they had, contrary to all light, and in de-
fiance of original stipulation, en^aved the peo-
ple, to whom they had been 50. much indebt-
ed. And not contented with this, they had
proceeded to murder their offspring, and to
render the people's bondage intolerable by a
wanton exertion of power. It had been told
them, that the faniily of the Israelites collec-
tively were esteemed as God's ' first-born : for
from that family: Christ was. to proceed, w/iai
is the first-born of every creature. Therefore

' Tims saith the Lord, Israel is mi/ son, even my first- hrn.
Exodus iTv 22,

17(5

God said to them, Lei rny son go, that he maif
serve me: and if thou refuse to let Mm go, behold,
I will slay thy son, even they ftrst-horn. Exod.
ch. iv. ver. 23.

But they heeded not this admonition: hence
these judgments came upori them j which ter^
minated in the death of the eldest in each fa;^
mily : a just retaliation for the^r disobe4ience
and cruelty.

CONCLUSION.

These judgments were stiled signs, as wel|
as wanders : and very justly. For they were
hot introduced merely as arbitrary marks of
power : but had aparticular scope and mean»
ing, as I have attempted to shew. I was aware
of an objection, which might be made — that
I try to prove the ancient rites and customs of
the Egyptians by those of later date ; and |
wrote a short treatise at the beginning to take
off this objection. There are besides many
passages in scripture, which will shew the an-
tiquity of that idolatry and of those customs^ „
from whence my arguments are drawn. Ma^

171

ny pfohibitions in the l^w directly point tliL^
way. The i^coiid comniandnient in the de-r
palogue seems to have been framed with a
view to the worship of Egypt, To any peo*
pie, who had not been conversant in that
pountry, it had been sufficient to have said —
Thou ihedt make no graven imoi^^ nor frat^e an^
^militu4e of things., But the conimandment is
^ilated, and the nature of the qbject^ pointe4
put, for the sake of the Israelites. They were
iiot to inake to themsdves an image or likeness
^ any. thing that is in heaven ahove^ or that is
in the earth beneath j or that is in the water un-.
der the earth ; nor were they to bow down^ or
Tmrship them<t either real or represented. By
^his is intimated, that they were not to make
a likeness of the sun, or of the moon ; of
jnan, or of beast ; of fly, o|- creeping thing ;
offish, or of crocodile \ which are in the wa-r.
ters beneath. How prone the Israelites were
to this symbolical worship ; and how neces-
sary it was to give them warning, may be
seen by the threat, and by the blessings^
which immediately ' follow. For though they

' For I the i«ri thy God, am a jealous God, vifking tie ini-
Quitji of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me: and shewing mercy unto thou-
sands of them thai hve me and keep my commandments.

172

gire applicable to every one of these ordinances^
yet they are introduced here, and particiolarly
^ubjoijied to this second commandment, that
it may be ip th.e strqngest manner inforced.

Thg attachment of this people to the rites
of Egypt play be farther seen by the repeated
admonitions. of their great lawgiver ; and par-r
ticularly by the cautions, which he gives at
large in the fourth chapter of ©euteronomy.
He there intimates by hisfe^rs, howjiablethe
peopl^ wer9 tplap^e, into this mode of idoj^try.

Ver. 15. Take ye th^ejore good heed unto
yourselves I foY ye saw no manner of similitude
on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeh
out of the midst of the fire. :^ ,

V. 16. hest ye corrupt yourselves^ andmakt
you a graven image, the similitude of anyfigute^
f he likeness of fnale or female.,

V, 17. The likeness of any beast that is on
the earthy the likeness of any winged fowl that
flietk in the air,

V. 18. . The likeness of any thing that creep';
eth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is
in the waters beneath the earth;

V. 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto,
heaven, and lichen thou seest the sun, and the moon,

I73i

it'iid the stars, even all the host of heaven, thoii
shouldset he driven to worship thevii and serve
them, ^t.

Whosever is at all acquainted with the an^
eient religioii df Egypt, will see every article
of their idolatry included in this address. He
will likewise perceive the propriety of these
cautions to a people, who had so long sojourn-
ed in that country.

I have mentioned, that this worship was
df very eAtiy date ; for the Egyptians very
soon gave into a dark and mystic mode of de-
votion, suitable to the gloom and melancholy
of their tempers. To this they were invinci-
bly attached, and consequently averse to any
alteration. They seldom admitted any rite
or custom} that had not the sanction of their
forefathers. Hence Sir John Marsham very
truly tells us concerning them ' — ^Egyptii
cuMs extranei nomine detestari videntur, quic-
quid 01 yoms s srugedei^at, parentes non com-
inonstrirunt. The Egyptians, under the notion
of foreign worship, seem to have been averse to
every thing which had not been transmitted by
their, ancestors. They therefore, for the most
part, differed in their rites and religion from

' Ssc./ix. p. 155.

174

all other nations '. These borrowed from
them ; and also adopted the rites of fnany dif-
ferent people. But the Egyptians seldom ad-
mitted of any innovation.

This is what I thought proper to offer con-
cerning the wisdom and design^ Witnessed in
these judgments lijJointhe Egyptians j and con-
cerning the analogy which they bore to th^
crimen stnd idolatry of that people.

' Concerning this difFerence See Herodptus, I. 2. c. &5>
36. p. 119i

- rft'Vr-i i f la

PART FOURTH.

A DISSERTATION

bPON THE

DIVINE MISSION OF MOSES,

Concerning this Divine Mission.

Moses was the immediate agent of God, in
ail those mighty operations which took place
during his readence with the IsraeHtes in
Egypt, as well as in those which ensued.
The destination of this pejople, was to the land
of Canaan ; and though the history of their
journeyings • may not. be uniformly attended
with the same astonishing prodigies as they
had experienced in Egypt, yet in every move-
ment, throughout the whole process, there are
marks of divine power and wisdom, by which
they were- at all times conducted. For no
man could have formed such a system, much

176

less have carried it on in the mariner, by whicU
ive see it at last completed. For the process
Was oftentimes contrary to humaH^ prudence^'
though consonant to divine wisdom. My
meaning is, that the Israelites in their progress
to "Canaan were led into scenes of distress, in
which no pdrson^' who had the charge of them^
w6uld have permitted them to have bfeen en-
gaged. No leader in his' senses would have
suffered those difficulties and embarrassments!
to have arisen^ into which the people were at
times plunged ; and wheii they were brought
into these straits, no ''human power was ade-
quate to free them from the danger. In shorty
through the whole process of the history every
step seems contrary to what human foresight,
and common' experience would have permit-
ted to take place. But I Speak only in res-
pect to man. With God it was far otherwise.
He cm raisCij arid he can depress ; he can kill,
and he can make alive. If he led the people
into difficulties and dangers, he could remedy
those difficulties ; and free them from those
dangers. ' For my thoughts, ssij& the Almighty,
are not your thoughts: neither are your ways my
ivays. For as the heavens are higher than, ihi

177

ecB^hf so are my ways higher than your ways ;
and my thoughts than your though s. It there-
fore seemed good to divine wisdom to bring
the Israelites into perils of various kinds, from
whence there seemed no opening for escape ;
no subterfuge, which could avail them. And
this was done, that they might manifestly see,
that their safety was not effected by any k\ir
man means : .but that it was a far higher
power, which both conducted and preserved
them. Upon these principles I purpose to
shew, that the authority by which Moses
acted was of divine appointment; and his
mission immediately from God, And my
chief reason I bring within this small compass
— because no man, of common prudence, would
have acted as Moses did, unless directed by a
superior influence.

A person who was of great eminence in the
church, and of knowledge equal to his high
station, took a different method to ascertain
the same truth. He observed, that in all ci-
vilized counties the legislators had introduced
future rewards and punishments as a sanction
to their laws. But nothing of this sort is to
be found in the laws of IMoses. They were
therefore of divine original; for he wquI^
• N

176

have availed himself of the same advantage,
had he beeji the real institutor and compiler.
Upon this basis he founded his system ; ah4,
in every stage of it are marks of that genius,
8.nd acuteness, which distinguish his writings,
JBut a§ he has not barred any other openings,
which may offer, towards the prosecuting of
the same views, 1 shall take the liberty tQ
proceed upon a different principle ; and make
pay inferences, not frorn what was omitted^
but what was done. I|; will be my endeavour,
as I before mentioned, to shew, that the great
lawgiver ^nd lea4er of the Israelites, in num-
berless instances, acted contrary to common
prudence ; and that the means used seeme4
inadequate, and oftentirnes opposite, to the
end proposed. Hence the great events which
ensued^ were brought about not only without
any apparent proba^jility, but eveii popsihility,
flf their succeediijg by humari ipe^ns.

Ofthj birth of Mo&js, and his mpnderful Preser-
vation: glsQ the Servitude qf tJielssj^zhiTM
in ^gypt. ,

In order more clearly to disclose my pur-r
pose, it will be proper to consider the history

17&

of Moses from the beginning ; and the situa-»
tion of the Israelites in histin^e. He was the
son of Amram, of the tribe of Levi : and born
about one hundred and three years after the
death of Joseph, and a hundred and seventy-
five from the fir^t descent of the IsraeUtes into
Egypt. At this season there had arisen a king
who did not acknowledge any obligations to
this people ; nor to the memory of the per-
son through whom they had been introduced
into that country. He conceived the same
cruel policy against the Israelites^ which the
Lacedemonians practised against their unfor-
tunate Helots. This was to oppress them with
the mos't severe bondage ; and, as they increas-
ed in number, to cut them off, lest they should
prove dangerous to the state.

Come on, said the prince, let us, deal wisely

with them : lest they multiply, and it come ' to

pass, that when there falleth out any war, they

join also unto gur enemies, and fight against us,

(md so get them up out of the land. Exod, i. 10.

Ver. 11, Therefore they did set over them
task-masters^ to afflict them with their burdens.,,
jind they built for Pharaoh treasure-fities, Pi thorn
and Raamses.

V. 12. Stff thie more they qfflicted them, the

180

more they multiplied and grew. And they wer$
grieved because of the children of Israel.
. V. i,:-i. 'And the Egyptians made the children
of Israel to serve with rigour. .> ' "

V. 14. And they made their lives bitter with
hard bondage^ in morter,' and in brick^ and in all
manner of service in the field: all their service
wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

The Israelites are represented as a refractory
and stiff-necked people ; whoin God chose not
on their own account, but for the sake of
their fathers, to be the keepers of his oracles,
and to preserve his name. For this purpose
they were to be brought out of Egypt. 'But
they were so pleased witb their situation, arid
habituated to' the custonds of the Egyptians,
that, without these severities, neither the inl-
portunities of Moses, nor the display of-mira-
cles, which they experienced, wovild have iii-
duced thern to quit the country. Even when
they were upon their progress to the land of
Canaan, they often looked back with too much
satisfaction upon the^fruits and plenty of Egypt.
-This weakness and partiality brought on an
irreverence towards the God of their fathers,
which could not be remedied but by the se-
vere discipHne which they experienced : and

181

it was kept up with great rigour. 2^<? shall mo
more, says the prince of the country, give the
people straw to make brick.,. as heretofore: let
them go and gather straw for themselves. Expd.
V. 7.

. - V. 8. Aad the tale of the bricks which they
did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them^ is'c.

V. 9. Let there more work be laid upon the
men ,

- V. 12. So the people were scattered abroad
throughout ail the land of Egypt, to gather stumble
instead of straw. Such were the severities
with which they were treated ; yet they mul-
tiplied greatly iiotwithstanding. The fruit-
fulness of the women was wonderful : a cir-
cumstance observable in all the women of
that country. JFor it is said, that the soil and
.air of. that climate, and particularly the »

' Strabo accordingly says, that the Nile was esteemed of
a fecundifyittg nature ; and that women had sometimes four
children at a birth ; and that Aristotle mentioned a woman

that had seven.- — K.«( m NeiAo 3' uvai ymiiuiii ftaJ^Xtn In^uy. — ■—
Tagm yvyxitoi wf in »at Tirgtuvfut rinrut t»( Aifwricci, Aftc-
miX'K ii KXt iirr»ivft»Ti»ic Ue^ii nnKivcu. 1 15. p. 1018. Aulus
Gellius gives the same account from Aristotle ; but, instead
of seven children at a birth, speaks only of five. Aristoteles
philosophus tradidit mulierem in ^gypto uno partu quinque
enixam pueros. 1. 10. c. v. p. 503. Hence Casaubon alters

I

182

Waters, dcr-operated greatly to this purpose. Biit
thfe sojourners seem in this respect to have sur-^
Jj^ssed the tiativfes ; and to have caused a general
alarm artiong them, fof fear they might one day-
be outnumbered: This produced that cruel edict
of the fcihg, who is said not to have known Jo-
seph. And the consequence of it was the de-
struction of liuriabisrless innocents, who Were
sacrificed to the jealousy of the Egyptians.
And Pharaoh charged all his people^ sayings Eve-
ry son that is born ye shall cast inio the river.
Exod. ch. i. ver. 32.

About the commencement of these calamit-
ous tinles, it was the fortune of Moses to be
born. His mother was too well acquainted with
the fatal orders, which had been given ; but
her natural affection got the better of her feats,
and led her to elude what she could not op-
pose . She therefore privately nursed her child,
till it at last grew too large to be concealed.
At the expiration of three months, she found
that his life must be given up ; and her owti
would at the same time be forfeited : for there
was no avoiding ' a discovery. But, that she
might not be the immediate cause of her child's

hrrotbvfM, to wttT«S»f£« ,See his notes. See also Aristot. de
General. Animai. 1.' 4. Cr 4, ^

183

deaths she formed a scheme of exposing him,
upon the waters. She accordingly construct-
ed an ark, or floating machine, of rushes ; and
having disposed of him in it, and covered it
over for security, she placed it carefully near a
bank of the Nile among the flags ; that it
might not be carried away with the stream.
At the same time her daughter stood at some .
distance to observe the event ; and see what
would become of her infant brother. It was
now early in the morning ; and it happened
that Pharaoh's daughter, with several female
attendants, came down towards the side of the
river to bathe herself. As she came near, she
perceived the ark among the flags, and order*
ed one of her maids to fetch it out of the water.
She opened it herself, and to her surprise per-
ceived the child, which immediately wept.
This providentially touched the heart of the
king's daughter. It is one of the Hebrew's
children, says the princess : and at the same
time intimated her compassion. The child's
sister, who stood by, took hold of this favoura-
ble opportunity ; and desired to know, if she
might go for an Hebrew nurse ; that the in-
fant might be preserved, towards whom the

;«4

princess had shewn such compassion. ' j4nd
^f^Jiqrmh's daughter mid unto her, Go. And the
7Hjuidwent and caited the child's' mother. Here
we :'see an am^ing concurrence- of circura-
i&^tanc^; and those of grieat moment, and
highly interesting; which could not be the
effect of chance. The j were certainly brought
about by* that divine wisdom, which can in-
fluence our hearts, and order outgoings, and
malq^e us subservient to the will of God.
Which often makes use of a series, and evt)-
kition of events, simple in themselves and ob-
vious,', but wonderful ' in their texture and
<r combination, towatds the accomplishment of
his high decrees, .. ■ ' -

V/hen the very, mo their of the infant was
thus covertly introduced to be his nurse, Exod.
ch. ii. v6r. 9. PJiaraoh's daughter said unto Ker^
Take this child away and nurse it for ine^ and I
will give thee, thy ^ages. And the woman took
the child^ and nursed it. '

V. 10. And -the child grew, and she brought
him unto TharaoKs daughter., and he became :.her
* son^ And she palled his narne Moses .\ a^d she

■ Exod. ii. S.

* There are some very curious extracts! from- the ancient
Egyptian histories concerning these events, which have been

185

^aiJ, Mecaitsel drew kim out of the' 'wafer i v-For
« Mo and Mos, iii the ancient Fgyptian tongue,
as /well as in other languages, signified w^ter.
Thus we seCj through the disposition of Provi-
dence, a helpless and forlorn child rescued
from a state of death ; and, after having been
in a wonderful manner restored to the bosom
of the mother, who had exposed him, we find
him at last hirought to a state both of security
and honour, being adopted into the family of
Pharaoh. But this station, though it ensured
his safety, yet was rather unfavourable to the
purposes for which he was designed. He
might, by these means,, become learned in ali
the knowlec^e of the Egyptians; but at the
same time he was liable to be initiated in their

transmitted by Artapanus. These, though mixed with fable,
aferd very interesting intelligence. See Eusebius Prsep.
Evang. 1. ix, p. 434. - •'

' T« 7«5 iiiu^ ftui meftci^vm A-r/virrtu. ' rhilo in Vita MoilS,
T. 2. p., 83.

T* 7><eg iiia^ ftav au(ui^wn AiyvvTut. ■ Clemens Alex. 1. ].
p. 412.

Ta yitg v3«i^ fiet ii Aiyvirrui xxi^stn. JosephuS Antiq. I. 2.
e. 9. p. 100. see also contra Apion. v. 2. 1. 1. p. 465. Um.
■ Clemens ejfpresses it Mbu ; and it is to be found still in
the Coptic. See Lexicon Copt. p. 57. published by Mr
Wdde JUHUJOT. He is therefore very rightly stiled Uuvm,
Moiisus by Artapanus. Euseb. P. E. I. 9. p. 432.

186

rites and religion, and forget the God of his
fathers. His being adopted by the chief prin-
cess oif Egypt Would give him influence and
authority to succour his brethren; but it might
possibly take away the inclination. But these
fevils were remedied, and all these fears render-
ed abortive, by the zeal of Moses for that deity,
by whose blessing he ha,d been preserved^
His faith Was so lively, that ' wftenhe came to
years, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh' J^
daughter. Clioosing rather ^o suffer affiictioti
with the peopk of God., than to enjoy ^f he pleasures
of sin for a season. This We may well suppose
was owing to the private instructions of ' Jo-
chebed his nursing mother ^ by whom he
must have been thoroughly informed of his
own history, and the history of his forefathers;
and have been confirmed in the belief of the
One True God. He had hkewise intimations
of his calling ; aiid of the great purposes for
which; God had raised and preserved him.
This seems to have been uppermost in his
mind ; and to have created in him an undue
patience to have the great work effected.
When therefbre hfe had given up all right of
adoption, and sacrificed every view of Egyp-

' Hebrews xi: 24, 25, » Exodus vi. 20.

187

tian grandeur ; he Went over to his brethren',
and waited for the tirtie of their deliverance.
The burdens, under which they gtoaned, ex-
cited his compassion : and when he one day
' spied an Egyptian imititig (or as some inter^
pri^tit killihg) an Hebrew^ he slew the. Egyptian,
and hid him in the sand. " For he supposed his
brethren would have Understood hsw that God by
his hand would deliver them i but they understood
not.

And they might well mistake his intention
in the deed; for it does not seem to have pro-
ceeded from God. The action might be just,
but was not prudent. He appears to have act-
ed without command, and was certainly
wrong in his opinion, if he thought that it was
an arm of flesh, and his own particular prowess,
which were to effect the deliverance of Israel.
By this one mistake his whole purpose was
ruined ; and all views of freeing his brethren,
as far as htiman foresight could judge, were in-
tirely at an end. The consequence was such
as no human power could remedy. T^he very
persons, for whose Sake he had acted, wei'e
the first to betray Mm. They refused his ar-
bitration, where he more properly interfered ;

' Exodus n.U, * Acts vii. 25.

188

and asked him in opprobrious terms — tVh
made, thee a prince and _a judge over usf intend-^
est thou to kill me^ as thou killedst the Egyptian?
Exodus, ch. ii, ver. 14. Thus the secret was
out, and reached the ears of the king; who
resolved to have Moses put to ' death. There
was nothirig- left but t& flee away : and Moses
accordingly fled from the face of Pharaoh: he
left the land of Egypt ; and having passed' the
great desert, withV which the country was
bounded, betook himself to the land of Midian.
This region lay uptin the farther side of the
two inlets of the Red-sea, to the east of the
wilderness of Sin and Etham ; about eight
days journey from Egypt. The whole route
was through a desert.

Of Moses in Midian. ■

He was now far separated from" the place
of his nativity, and the house of his fathers.

' The voluntary killing a person was, according to the

laws of Egypt, certain death to the aggressor -^E» Js ns

hiucruji aTTtKiutat ran sjlsi/djgav,^)) rtn ifih^v, avcSme'i'it' «««» o; vt/Mt
3-gmT«TT»v. — Diod. 1. 1. p. 70.(8., Of what antiquity this
law may have been - is uncertain. We know so much, that
all the laws of Egypt are said to have been very ancient

189

And he was still more estranged from them^
by becoming incorporated with a tribe of
people, with which the Hebrews had not the
least connection. They appear to have been
of the Cnthite race ; but respectable and moral :
and their ruler was named Jethro : and he is
stilqd the priest of Midian. Moses seems here
to have given up all his former views. The
zeal which he had shewn for the deliverance
of his people subsided j and all his hopes were
extinct. Year after year passed on, and he
does not appear to have had any intelligence
about his brethren in Egypt. Indeed it was
not easy to be obtained ; for in those early
times there was but little intercourse between
nation and na1;ion j and thie only correspon-
dence kept up, seems to have been by cara-
vans and merchants. But the Midianites, to
whom he joined himself, lay rather out of the
way for any communication. He probably
imagined, that God had given up his purpose
of freeing the Israelites ; at least of using him
for an agent. He, in consequence of it, mar-
ried a wife of the ' Cuthi-te race ; one of the

' £xod. ch. ii. yer, 21. yind Miriam and Aaron spake

against MoseSt because of the -Ethif^ian woman lahott} he h^d
married .' fir he had married an Ethiopian •woman. Numbers
xii. 1. The word in the original is Cushan, or Guthite.

daughters of the priest of .Midian. This was
contrary to the us^ge of his forefathers, and
of the Hebrews in general ; and seems to in-
timate, that he thought himself quite alienated
from them. We see him now, from the rank
of a prince brought down alipost to t^e state
of an hireling ; and feeding sheep in the wild,
near Horeb, instead of leading the armies of
Israel. This would not have been his lot, if
he had set out originally ijpon worldly princj.^
pies, and followed the dictates of human sa-
gacity.: JHe would thei), never have foregone
the advantages . of adoption, Which would
have procured him respect and power. Had
he remained in Egypt, his residence arnong the
Israelites might have afforded him the means
of planning many things in their favour ; ^nd
his authority among his brethren might have
induced them to comply with his schemes.
But the wisdopi of man is, foolishness with
God ; and this great work of deliverance was
not to be effected by human means. He is
said to have beeri ' forty ye^rs old wheri he

' In the original it is intimated that hfe took his flight from
Egypt, when he ivas full grown ; or as the Seventy express it
— ^Vj/tti ymfuug. In the Acts of the Apostles it is said to
have happened, wheis, heviasfortti years oldi ch. vij. ver, 21.

191

first came into this country, and now forty
years more were lapsed ; and the IsraeHtps
still in bondage, without the least prospect of
redemption. In respect to Moses, had he the
will, yet in what posisible manner could he
exert himself? If hefted away at first without
hopes, what new expectations could l?e pro-
duced after a lapse of forty years ? In this long
interval, what little influence remained at his
departure must have been utterly extinct. The
elders of the people, in whom he confided,
were probably dead ; and all memory of him
was in great measure effaced. If it were pos-
sible for him to make himself known to the
prince oT the country, tT:>e recollection would
probably be fatal to him. And, if be applied
to his own people^ what reason was there for
their accepting of him for their judge. and leader
now ; whom they had rejected forty years be-
fore ? Yet the children of Israel were deiiverr
ed; and Moses was destined to bring about
that deliverance.

If we were to suppose him at this time to have been younger,
^e interval will be in consequence of it lonper ; and fh*
.^i^culties proportion^bjy greater.

iga

Of Us being appointed by God tofrele his People.

Moses was now eighty years old ; and, in
an humble and recluse state, took care of the
sheep of his father-in-law, the priest of Mi-
dian. — Exbdus, ch. iii. ver. i . And he led the
flock to the backside of the desert^ and came to the
mountain qf God, even to Horeb. ■

V. 2. And the angel of the Lord appeared
unto him in aflame of fire, out of the midst of a
bush; and he looked, and behold the bush burned,
with fire, and the bush was not consumed^

V. 3 . And Moses said, I will now turn aside,
md see thi^ great sight, why the bush is not burnt, -

V. 4. And when the Lord saw that he turn-
ed aside to see, God called unto him out of the
midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And
he said. Here am I.

Upon this it pleased God to assure hirn,
that he had not forgot his people ; that he
had been witness to their affliction ; and theit
cry was come up before him. He would there-
fore put an end to their servitude ; and they
should ;bg brought out of Egypt: and be
placed in the land of Canaan, in the country
of the H^ittites, Perizzites, Amorites,and other
nations.

193

v. 10. Come now therefore^ and I will send
thee unto Pharaoh^ that thou mayest bring forth
my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. .,

V. 1 1 . ^nd Moses said unto God, Who am /,
that I should go unto Pharaohs, and that I should
bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt.
. Moses was frightened when he heard his
destination. He started back ; from a just
sense of the gireatness of the undertaking ;
and a fe^fiil consciousness of his own inabiU-
ty. It pleased God to assure him of his guid-
ance and protection: and he added, V. 12.
This shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent
thee; when thau hast brought forth the people out
of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this' mountain.
This was a circumstance, were it not for the
person, who promised, and appointed it,
scarcely to be believed. For what connection
had Horeb with the boarder? of ' Canaan?
Wheji however this was afterwards accom-
plished, it was a sure token, that the mission
of Moses was from God. Moses however is
still in a state of uncertainty, and dreads some
illusion. — He accordingly says, V. 13. Behold^
when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall
say. unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent

' The road from Egypt was in a quite difl direction.

o

194

me vnto you; and they shall say tame. What is
his name P what shall I say unfo them P By this
I should imagine, that the Israelites were far
gone in the idolatries of Egypt ; so as to haw.
forgotten the Lord Jehovah ; or else Moses-
was not quite assured of the person before
whom he stood ; and apprehended some il-
lusion. The Lord upon this told Moses, that
the. title and character by which he would be
made known to the people, should be, — * 1

am that I am: Thus slialt thou say unto thfS

children of Israel^ I Am hath sent me unto you.

Observations upon this Order.

The reason why it pleased God to be de-
scribed in this particular manner, seems to
have been owing to the false worship of the
Egyptians, whom the Israelites copied : and
to the abuse of this divine title, which it was
necessary to remedy. The chief deity of E-
gypt was the Sun, who was improperly called
On : as by that term, I conceive, was denoted
the living God. That this was a titlfe given
to the Sun we may learn from Cyril upon

' Exodus Ui. 14<.

195

Hoseah. ' Civ tnv 6 'HXw?- — -Civ h i^iv vu^
eivTdi? (to/? AiyuTfiaig) o 'Hx;os. The term On
dmQng the Egyptians signifies the sun. Hence
the city On of Egypt was uniformly rendered
Heliopolis, or the City of the Sun. Theophilus,
upon the authority of Maftetho of Sebennis, in
i^eaking of this place, says, » fiv, nta i^iv
'HKtsTToXtg. On, which is Heliopolis^ or the city
(^tlie Sun : and the authors of the Greek ver-
sion afford the same interpretation. When,
mention is made of Potiphera, or rather Pete-
phre, the Priest of On, it is rendered » Tlertpgn
legsus 'HXisuroKsug : Petephre, (he Priest qfHeli-
Gpolis. The same occurs in another place.

Aseaethj the daugMer of Petephre^ the priest of
On, or Heliopolis. It is also to be foxind in the
Coptic version, where the same city is described

* cjurt ere 0&&.KI, AJi4)pK ne: On, which is

the city of Ree, the Sun.

. From hence it is manifest that the terra On
among the Egyptiaiis, in those times and af-
terwards, was applied to Helius, the sariie as
Osiris, the Sun: but how properly remains to

' P. lis. * Ad Autolycum", I. 3, p. 393.

^ Geii. xH. 45^ * Chap, xli, 5(L

-' Coptic Lexicon by Mt Woide, p. 1 1 8>

Os

196

be considered. I have mentioned ft to be my
opinion, that by this term was denoted origi-
nally the Living God, the self-existent Being.
And in this opinion I am confirmed by Plato,
and many other Greek writers, who, when-
eyer they allude to this Egyptian name, ex-
press it by the terms ^ to Qv. which signify,
by way of eminence, The Being; or, in other
words— '?>^(? great first cause. These writers
derived their theology from Egypt : and from
hence we may infer, that they knew well the
purport of the name. This, I think, may be
farther proved from the Coptic language j in
whic^, are undoubtedly to be found the re-
mains of the ancient Egyptian. Here the
same words, which the Greeks rendered oj',
and iwii, denote both * life and to live : to exist,
and to bt. They are expressed in the Coptic
characters with a final aspirate ortg, and trrtg
Onh, afld Onh with an omega : also with the
prefix, raujitg. Hende the terms m cuitg, nena
signify vita ceterna. Plato therefore with great

' AtlTO TO KTdl, BLVti TO KOCAOVj' ceuTO IxftfOV, Sfl TO Ov f latO

in Phsedone, v. I. p. 78.

To Oil. Plutarch Is. et Osiris, p. 352. A.
' See Coptic Lexicon published by Mr Woide, p. 189,
193. ,<

197

justice rendered the term in his own language
by TO On, when he treated of the first cause,
the Lord of Life: for the name among the
Egyptians was perfectly analogous to ov, pvra,
iona, eivBCi, among the Greeks. It w:a5 the
name of the true God; of whom the Egyp-
tians at first made the sun only a type. But
when the substitute was taken for the original,
it was then adapted to the luminary : at least,
so far as that the city of On was called the
city of the Sun ; and the orb of day was wor-
shipped as the living God. For I do not be-
heve that the term On rejated Hter.ally to the
sun J which I think is plain from its standing
in need of explanation, tuft, erre e&A.Ks JLi!.4>pH
ne. Qn •which is the city of Phre, the sun;
and in the Greek, — • n*, sj es'iv HX/sTo^i?, On,
which is Heliopolis, From hence we may just-
ly infer, that the living God was originally
worshipped under t|^e semhlanee of the Sun.
But the true name ofthe luminary, both amopg
the ancient and modern Egyptians, was i?^^.
This may be farther proved from the name
of his priest ; who was ?tiled Pptiphera, Poti-
phra, and Petiphre ; which I do not imagine
to be a proper name ; for the former part of

» Exodqsi. 11. Sept.

the compound signified a priest; and the 1^-
ter the Sun. It was expressed neTe4>pH, Pete-
phre, by the authors of the Coptic- 'version j
and JJstBp^ti U§ivi in the time of the Greet
version, and jj'is tais Pytah phry in the dayg
of Moses.' 1 have, thought proper to state
these things; as we niay from henee perceive
the purport of the injunction given to ' Mou-
ses, and explain those remarkable words-—/
am that J am; and / am hath sent thee.

^ome farther Considerations upon these Words.

It. is remarkable, that the Samaritan versioj:}
accords implicitly with the origin al.jn, this in^
stance, and it is closely copied in the Vulgate,
.where the passage is rendferedr--Egp sum, qui
sum. JBut the Greek translation jiifFers in the

" See Coptic Lexicon, p. 157. There were Jwo words
in the ancient Egyptian language, which denoted a priest--^
nexe and g,oreT — ^They^were probajbly two departments
in the sajne office of priefthopd : but their precise meaning
cannot be now ascertained.

This person is said to be Pete^phre, Cohen On ; that is, a
priest of the Sun, -who offciated at the city On, to distipguisji'
him from a priest of the same order vifho might be of Moph,
Theba, or any other place.

? Genesis, ch. xK. ver. 45. and ver. 5Q.

199

mode' of expression, and instead of— -> Eyw
sijx,if og iifih which would afford the literal pur^
port, we meet with — Eyai si/^iy o Ctv. How
came the authors of this version so industri*
ously to vary from others ? I answer ; because
they were Jews of Egypt, and knew the true
object alluded to. And, as the Egyptian term
oK^, the same as Ens, corresponded with the
like word in Greek, they have preserved it in
their translation, as from this correspondence
of terms, they could give the true meaning of
the original. In consequence of this, instead
of Eyai u[jt,h o'j sifAif which would have been the
obvious interpretation of / am that I am, they
render it— Eya> e;/*< o Civ. I am the Ens, the
truly essisting being ; the living God. And that
we might not mistake the meaning of the
term ny, used by the Seventy, and also by the
Platonists, many learned persons have been
at the pains further to explain it, and to shew,
that by Oti was signified Ens Entium, the Be-
ing of Beings^ the s elf -r existent 'God. Hence
Hesychius defines o Vlv, by ^zog an iu9, vvug-
yj6v: God, who lives for ever; that exists ever^
lastingly. We find the like in Suidas. 'O CLv,
aei m, Osoj fifAoiv. By On is denoted^ the God

f Exodu} iii. H,

200

that lives for ever, whom we acknowledge for eui'
particular deity. The learned Alberti, in his
notes to. Hesychius, quotes from a manuscript
Lexicon a passage to the same purpose. 'O
Civ, i^mi v-TTct^y^m, o an cov raris'i Bsoj. By
this term is meant the Being who lives and
exists ; the Being who lives for ever ^ that is,
God.. It is therefore plain, that- the purport
of this Egyptian word, when explained by the
Grecians, related uniformly to life, and the
God of life, the self-existing being. We have
seen that the justness of these, interpretations
is confirmed by the Coptic. The same is ob-'
s^rvable of the to oh of Plato^ which was bor-
rowed from the same source. Axnx'bui ya^ h
A-iyviTTo) rov. Qiov rai Ms/uirj) ngi^xsvuf, Y^yai ii(/^t a
€lvi iyvoD, on ou xv^iov ovofjLo, iuvrs o &eo? ir^os

avTov ip}j They are the words of Justin

Martyr ■ , who says, that Plato learnt in Egypt,
that the deity represented himself to Moses
under the character of o Clt, or the living God;
and that Plato knew it was not a proper name :
by which is intimated, that he rendered it as

'Just. Martyr. Cohort, p. 21. c.
• By ttie aneient philosophers, the deity was stiled t<> I» ;
and it was said — to I» vmra. Plato chatiged the term to n
if, as we learn from Simplicius, Plotinus, and others.

201

an attribute, and described the cause of all
things by his self-existence. He mentions far-
ther ', that the different manner of expressing
the term, which was both 0» and fit, amount-
ed to little ; as both were equally apposite. 'O
fAis yug Mwuffjjs m s^jj, o ^t UKutuv to ov 6»a-
re^Of 5e ruv it§ti[A6vm ra aei ovri &Sai "^goffnttuv
(painrcti. For Moses expresses the word m, and
Plato TO ov : but each of the terms appear to be
truly appUcabh to the Ivuing God^ who alone rriay
be said to exist. Eusebius, Cyril, Augustine,
and naany other writers suppose, that Plato
got his intelligence in Egypt : and I think
there can be no doubt of it. ^\it they go far-
ther, and think, that he obtained it from the
history of Moses ; which does not appear pro-
bable. They seem all to. have imagined, that
he got his information from the words Eya
etf/,1 fly, / am He that is, i. e. the living God:
which is a portion from the Greek of the Sep-
tuagint. But they did not consider, that this
version was not made till .after the death of
Plato. He could not have had any light from
hence. In short he borrowed his knowledge
of the term 0* from the same fountain from
whence the authors of the Septuagint after-
wards borrowed ; which wa;s from the natives

of Egypt. He resided thf e6 years at Helio-
poUs, the very" place called On, or City of the
Sun : and was very conversant with the priests
of the place, the most intelligent of any in the
whole ' nation. He could not fdl of learning
the purport of the name j arid was certainly
informed, that the city of On was denominat-
ed from the self-existent being ; and that the
temple of On was properly the sanctuary of
the living God, though the title was abused,
and conferred upon- Osiris, the Sun. Hence
Plato, in his Inquiry concerning the Nature of
the Supreme Being, asks, * Ti rq Ov f^iv ku \
ysvsfffv <Js ax e^ov, Explain to me that deity On^
which ever IS, and who never knew beginning
nor production'^ In this, and all other instances
to the same purpose, he alludes to the Egyp-i-
tian term, which signified life and being.

A farther Gonsider'ation.

It may be proper to reipark, that, whei^
Moses was directed to make knowii to the Is-?

* The people qf Heliopolis were particularly famous for
their knowledge. 'O; 'HAi8;r«Air«i A-iyvicitut ;i»y(«T«T»f. Herod.
1.'2. c. 3. p. 104.

* In Timso, vol. 3. p. 27.

203

raelites the "One true God under the character
of / am^ or the Being, of Life, the original
word is ' n"»nN. This was a new'title, by which
the deity chose to be distinguished. It is to
be observed, that there is very httle difierence
|3etween this, and the naore common name ;
the sacred tetragrammaton of the Jews. The
one was Tf\T\^, Jehovah ; and the other newly
appointed » !T>nN, which some ejipress Jehevah.
How truly it is rendered, I cannot pretend to
determine. This, I believe, is allowed, that
the latter is formed from the root, nvi, or iTin,
hejah or hey%h : by whiph is signified to exists
live, and be. Some think, that by Jehovah is
meant I ami and by Jehevah or Ehiah (as
some render it) / will be. It is accordingly
translated by some expositors in the future — -
ero, qui ero ; and both by Aquila and Theo-
dotion, E(r<ro^«^, E(r<ro/*a<, We may at all rates
be assured, that they both relate to life and
existence 5 and cannot properly- be applied to
any Being, but one, ' Tfmu, whose name alone
is Jehovah — ^^ 'O Vivt x,tx,i tiv, icon tg^oij^stiqg.

' Exodus, ch. iii. 14. * Chap. iii. I*.

? Fsalm Ixxxiii. ver. 18, * Apocalyps, ch. i. ver. f.

204

' Conclusion upon this' Head.

We may therefore, I think, be assured of
the true purport of that Egyptian title of the
deity, which the Grecians expressed Ov and
Civ. By On ' was signified life and being : and
by the deity of On (Ortg) was denoted th^
living God ; the truly existing Being. This
title was grossly misapplied by the Egyptians :
upon which account the real and only God
is represented as inforcing this truth upon his
people, that there was no deity but himself.
He is therefore repeatedly styled^ in opposition
to all pretended divinities, The Living God,.
In consequence of this we continually meet;
with -this asseveration — As I live, saith the
Lord. Hence Moses was ordered, when he
made mention of the deity to the Israelites, to
use the title above mentioned-—/ q,m that I

' A very learned friend thought that the term On could
not relate to life and being i because the city of On, in the
Coptic version, has iiot the final aspirate: which the same
word, when it signifies life or to live, has. But a variation
so very slight . betweeti a primary wprd, and a derivative,
might easily happen in si|ch a length of time.

The difference is too small to have any objection founded
upon it, especially as all the Grecian authors, who speak of
the Egyptian term On, always refer it to life and being.

205

1 : 1 AM hath sent me unto you : which ali-
ers precisely to Eyw sif^i to Ov of "the Gra-
ins ; and to the sacred title tunas of Egypt.
r this, in other words, is signified, Let the
\ldreti of Israel know, that you come from the
ly true and self-existent Being ; from the living
id, who was, and is, and will be for ever.
lis was a character to which no other being
uld pretend. Moses is further ordered to
jr. to the Israelites — ' The Lord God of your
thers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
d the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you : this
my name for ever. This is the deity who
i^les himself /-^M; the living God, the Jeho-
h of the Hebrews. The prophet proceeds
intimate, that the divinities of Egypt had no
lim to so high a title ; and they would there-
re fall before the God of Israel : and for this
; had good assurance — ^Against all the Gods of
^ypt I will execute judgment : I am the Lord.
hese expressions are attended with peculiar
lergy, but without this explanation they seem
lose great part of their emphasis.

• Exod. iii. 15.
» Chap. xii. 12,

^6

Gontmuatiott of the Dimne Interview, imd an Ac"
count of the Two Miracles ■ eoehibited. -

Many events are laid open to the legate of
God ; and many proniises are made to give
him fortitude for the undertaking. But for a
long time during this interview he hesitates,
and is alarmed at the difficulties, which pre-
sented themselves. It may seem strange^ af-
ter such immediate assurances from God, that
Moses should persist in his diffidence. He
ought certainly to have trusted to the words
of hiro, who cannot deceive ; and paid
implicit obedience. But hurnan nature is
frail. His zeal had been damped by idisap-
pointments, and his faith ruined by his fears.
He knew that his life was ' forfeited, if he re-
turned to Egypt ; and he moreover felt a want
of ability to effect what was enjoined him.
Hence, though he knew the power of the
Almighty, -yet he could not sufficiently exert
himself upon the bccasion. He was Hke a
person upon a precipice, who is ordered to
throw himself down upon a promise of being
supported ; but though the assurance be from

' See Diodorus Sic. 1. 1. p. 70. quoted abo^re.

207

the voice of an angel, he cannot trust himself
to the dreadful vacuity. It must likewise be
considered, that he had formed some inteapst-
ing connections, which though they may ap-
pear comparatively new, were in reality of
long standing. He had been admitted for a
long season into a family of morality and
goodness ; where he enjoyed ease and security.
He had married a wife, with whom he was
quite happy ,^ and had a son by her. This
peace and these connections were to be inter-
rupted for the sake of a people who had be-
trayed him ; and from whom he had been
estranged for forty years. He could not
bring himself to have any trust in theiri.
* Behold, says he, /^ will not. believe me, nor
hearken unto my voice; for they "Will say, Thi
Lord hath not (fppeared unto thee. His reason-
ing was just; for he was to go to a perverse
and stubborn people: and, as I mentioned
before, if he could not persuade them of old,
he must necessarily have little influence after
an absence of so long a date. In short, he
had not power to execute such a mission,
nor inclination to undertake it. His creden-
tials therefore and authority could not pro-
' Exod. iv. 1.

208

ceed from himself j but must be derived frortt
an higher power. It therefore pleased God,
in order to create in him a proper faith
aiio^ assurance, to display before his eyes a mir

racle of an extraordinary nature. ■ ' And.

the Lord said unto liim, Wfiat is that in thine
hand f and he said^ A rod. .

Ver. 3. And he said. Cast it on the, ground;
and he cast it on the ground, and it became a ser-
pent; and Moses , fled from before it. . .

V. 4. And the Lord said , unto Moses, Put
forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And ,
he, put forth his hand, and chuglit it, and. it be-
came a rod in his hand.

This was an assurance to Moses, that ther,
same power/ which could work. such a won-*
der for his conviction, would do the like, to
convince his people hereafter ; and.that a sure
trust might be reposed in his promises.

V. 6. And the Lord said furthermore^ unto
him. Put now thine hand into thy bosgrn; afid he
put. his hand into his bosom : and when he took it
out, behold his hand was leprous as snow.

VI 7« And he said. Put thine hand into thy
bosom, again; and he put his hand info his bosom
again, and plucked it out of his bosom, and behold
it was turned again, as his other flesh.

' Exod. iv. 2.

$09

Firstf concerning the SymhoHcal Serpent.

The Egyptiam, and likewise thePhenicians,
who borrbwed fmm them, made the serpent
an emblem of divine wisdom and power;
also of that creative ettergy, by Which all
thing^ were fdrmed; It was supposed to have
been first adopted fiir this sacred purpose by
Thdth df Egi^t ; whom the jJeople of Pheni-
cia stiled Taut^ "and « Taautus. There was
nothing criminal in forriiing Such a charac-
teristic, if it were hot hiisapplied, and made
use of for idolatrous pur'poses. But em^blems
of this sort wer6 in process of time abused ;
and gave risd to a base Worship ; which pre-
vfailed over all the world. In many places,
not only in Egypt, but in Greeice and other
cotmtries, the natives preserved a live ser-
pent J soiiietimeS more than one ; to which
they paid divine honours. Hehce Justin Mar-
iyiy in speaking upon this head to the Grecis-
ms, tells them--- va^A itkwi ru\i vofii^ofjcsvm wag

' Tnf |K)|« tilt /\^iai»vT»s (punt am t/ii O^tat avro; t^thitn* f
TxiivTOf. g»» x»i a tt^oif TMTt ^oy, luu in |ievD)^«i; pv|»7rag'EiXD7-

Philo Bybliilsfrom SanC'hdniaih. apud Eusebium F. £.
1. c i. p. 40, 41.

* Apolog. 1. p. 6Q. see Clemens Alexand. Cohort, p. II.

P

rau.

810

vfAiiv ©gft), or ©iuvt 0(pis <rv[/,CeXo9 [f^zyu xat jM-uri!!*
^tov ava'y^a,<psTa,i. — Among all the things^ which
are held by you as sacred and divine^ the serpent
is particularly marked as a wonderful' emblei^ and
mystery. Two such were kept alive at Thebes
in Upper Egypt — ' xoe< rnrotg (to<s O^sffiv) 0v(rtui%

■vofXiiffuiiTsgt xai ag^nyns '"*"' Ph^i — ^^4 ^'^ theje
serpents the people appointed a c^ebration of sa-
crifices y also festivals f and^ orgies j . esteemiv^
them the greatest of all gods^ and sovereigns of
the universe. Maiiy salutary qualities and ef-
fects were supposed to have been denoted by
this emblem, particularly life, health, and vic-
tory, also the Being by which they were prpr
ducied. It made a principal part in most rites
and mysteries ; and there were undoubtedly
some very curious truths veiled under this
characteristic. It was carried frgm Egypt t;g
Thrace and Greece ; and, according to the
current opinion, by Orpheus. Hence Tatianus
' Assyrius, speaking ofthe rites of Ceres, men-
tions Eleusis, where they were celebrated ;
also the mystic serpent, which was a principal
object ; and Orpheus, by whom they were

' Euseb. P. E, 1. 1..C. X. p. 42.

' £Xev^<$) x«i Ag«x(vy, i*VfiKOs, km Og^ss;< p. 251.

introduced: The worship bf the serpent at '
Epidaurus is well known ; knd Herddbtus
iiieiitions oiie kept in the iVcropOlis of Athens
— * opi» fiiy^iii Koci (pvKuia rl^g AitgOToXiog-"-^
large serpent^ which ikias koke'd upon as the guar-
dia^ of the place: 1?his animal Was. a sacred
appendage to the representation^ of many dei-
ties ; but especially of Thoth^ or Hermes; the
divine physician. He was by the Grecians stil-
ed Esciilapius : arid in an ancient temple near ^
Sicyori live Serpents were maintained^ and
held in reverence; a^ they were at Thebes,
Memphis^ and other places in Egypt. Ond
name given to the sacred serpent was * Ther-
inuthis; and it Was made a constant atten-
dant upon Ms. The deities Cneph, Hermes,
and Agathodaenion; were all described under
this * enibleiri ; and the lierpent itself had the
name of the (Sodd Dsenloni

* PaUsari. 1. 2. ^. 175. * L. 9. c. 41. ^. 63^.

^Pausan. 1. i,^.\%i.

Serpents also \irere kept arid tevereiiced at Pella in Mace-
donia. Liician. Alexaiider, vdl. 1; p. 663.
■* jEIiaii de AnimaL 1. 10. c. 31. p. 581.

' ibtnuiit etvio af/»i)t> Bici[iaiiii iMXuTt, ofiiia; as Kill AiyvwttM

ikvii<^ tTtiutui^nfft Eudeb. 1. 1. c. x. p. 41.

P2

212

Of the Serpents in the Wilderness^ and of the
Brazen Serpent.

Thus much I thought proper to premise
concerning the mj^stical serpent, and the re-
verence paid to it ; as it naay serve to illus-
trate some passages in the sacred history. For
it is Very certain, that the Israelites were tatint-
ed with the idolatry of the Egyptians during
their resideiicd among that people. The pro-
phet Ezekiel rneintions, that ' they committed
whoredoms itt E£ypt: tod God declares by the
inouth of the same prophet, that they persever-
ed in their evil practices after they had left that
country. * But they rehdled against ine^ and
would not he.arken unto me: they did not every
man tasi aiiUay th^ abominations of their eyes,
neither did, they forsake the idols of .Egypt. ' Of
these idols, one of- the most ancient and most
honoured,^ was the serpent. And it is proba-
ble, that the Israelites, upon account of Ihis
idolatry, were punished by the ' Saraphim, or

' E?ekiel, ch. xsriii. ver. S, * Ibid. cb. xx. ver. 8.

^ Numbers, ,ch. xxi. ver. 6.

I should imagine, that the Cneph, or Caneph, and the
Sar-eph, were of the same purport: arid that they botli
tienoW Besj-iAireof, Basiliscus, or royal serpent.

2 IS

^ery serpents ; in consequence of which many
were slain. And the Lord sent » fiery serpents
pmong the people; and they bit the people; and
much people of Israel died. As this sort of wor-
ship prevailed so much, it was very proper to
punish those apostates who had lapsed into it,
by the object of their adoration ; ' at the same
time to deter others . from' giving into it for
the future. After this punishment had suffi-
ciently taken place, it pleased God to order a
brazen serpent to be made ; and to be elevat-
ed upon a perch or standard ; and he directed
Moses to tell the people, that whoever looked
up to that object shoi^d live. * Jind the Lord
said unto Moses , Make thee a fiery serpent,, and
set it upon a pole ; and it shall come to pass^ that
' every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it,
shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it
upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a ser-
pent had bitten any man, when he beheld, the ser-
pent of brass, he lived.

By this the people were taught, that their
trust in Thermuthis, Agathodaemon, Hermes,
or any serpentine divinity, was vain. All their ■
resource was in another power ; who was re-

■ D>snffltj>s?n3. * Numbers, ch. xxi. ver. 8, 9.

2^4

presented before them. But even to this era-
t|lem no adoration was tQ be paid. They
were only to look upon it, and bev saved. The;
miracle therefore was well calculated to affect
the people before whorn it was displayed j
and with this we might rest satisfied. !jBut it
had certainly a farther allusion ; arid all the
world is concerned in the happy cpnseC^uences
pointed but in this typical representation. It
was undqubtedly an intimation of our being
cleansed from all 'taint by our Ipoking up to
the person denoted under this emblem j and of
our being preserved from utter death. It was
not the design of providence to discover fully
the meaning of these mysterious and wonder-
ful works, which were exhibiteid in those
days. But to those, who live in more enlight-
ened times, the purport cannot bis mistaken.
Had it pleased God to have explainecl his
meaning by his prophet upon the spot, I pre-
sume, that in express terms it would have
amounted to this : " Tpu have been devoted
" to serpent- worship J and 1 punish you by
" these very reptiles, which you have idly
" adoreid. You have esteemed the serpent the
" emblem of health, life, and divine Wisdom j
" and under this symbol you have looked, up

215

" to an unknown power, stUed Tlioth. an4
■" 4-gathodaemon, the benign genius. For these
*• things you suffer. But I will shew you a
" more just and salutary (emblem, by which
" health snid life, as well as divine wisdom, are
^' signified^ I]t is a type of the true Aggtho-
" daemon, that human divinity, the physician
" of Jhe §oul J by whom these blessings arc
** O^g day to accrue. Behold tliat serpent
*' upon a perch, or cross ; whoever looks up
** to him, shall be saved from the present ve-
" nom of the serpent, as well as from * pri-
f" meval infection. This is an emblem of that
?* benign power, that good genius, by whom
" the world will be cured of every inherent
i^ evil,"

Objection.

But it may be said,-T-Cfl« we suppose, tlvat
the Gqd of Israel would explain himself by the

' This was the opinion of some of the fathers : and par-
ticularly of Justin Martyr, tion^m ytt^ ii» ■m-rn, in trgas^ov,

iririvus-iii tvi ntTit r» ii» th rtifiiiit rum .{ici»tvfiS)i«'i) rur c«-( tov
fciv^riM [ttXynrctf elvt rat dwyfunav rg t^ius kin^ uu-ii ki kukcu
Tf^aXiUi. X. i, A,- Dialog, cont. Tryph. § 94. p. 191. Some
such word as hMWfKvti seems to be wanting.

816

emblems of Egypt P I answer; most undoubt^
edly. The revealing of his mind by Egyp-
tian syinbols was like writing in the 'charac-
ers of that country. It was in a manner
speaking their language ; and therefore at-
tended with grfeat fitness and propriety. I
have mentioned, that there was nothing re-
prehensible in the cliaracteristies themselves.
The only crime was in the misapplication.
They had their meaning ; and those who had
any knowledge in the wisdom of the Egyp-
tians, must:.have understood their immediate
purport. This emblem therefore was very
properly introduced.

The true Purport of the Emblem.

From the circumstances with which this
curious hiftory is attended, we may perceive,
that, when the serpent was lifted up before
the eyes of the Israelites, it wa^ pot intended
merely as a sign and, rpeans of their recovery ;
but its salutary purport had a relation to the
whole world. It was certainly an intimation
of our being cleansed from all .taint and im-
purity, and saved frorn final ruin. Our Sa-<
riour plainly speaks of it as a type of hipiself ;

^^nd interprets it in the sjjine ipanner ; as aU
|uding to our redemption, and to our bein^
preserved from absolute death. ' jindaj! Mch
ses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness ^ even
so must the Son of man be lifted up: that mhoso-j
ever believeth f « hiri^ should not perish^ but hc^ve
eternal life^

Th^e resemblanpe, 1 believe, was too strik-j
jng not to be perceived by the Jews ; espe-
cially wbeii, after our Saviour's; resurrection,
Jiis history and doctrines becarne more gene-
rally known. It afforded an argument much
in favour of Christianity ; and this probably
was the reason, why not a word is said by Jo-
sephus concerning the brazen serpent in the
wildernesis. !^e promised in his Antiquities,
which are copied from the Bible, to leave out
nothing material. Yet this inlportaiit history
is passed by, and seems to have been design-
edly omitted.

As mention was incidentally made some
pages above concerning the history of this ser-
pent, erected by divine order before the peo-
ple ; I have, treated of it first, though second
in time, on account of the light which it may
afford to the other.

' John, ch. iii. ver. H, 15.

The Rod of Mases,

We may therefore presume, th^t the serpent,
into which Moses saw his rod changed, wajs
not only equally significant, but had the same
reference* It ^eeme^ tq indicate^ th^t divine
wisdopi gnd authority ^yould be with him,
and conduct him iiii al^ his ways j and tha|
the particular person from whom the Israel-
ites, and the world in general, were to expect
deliverance, vras Jehovah, the Redeemer. In
order to understand thi« perfectly, let us attend
to the process of this wonderful transaction.
Moses was standing with his rod, an instru-
ment both of support and authority, in his
hand ; ?ind he was ordered to cast it on the
ground. He cast it on the ground, and it
immediately became a serpent. He was orr
dered to lay hold of it with his hand, and he
did so ; and it was again restored to a rod*
Now to know" the scope pf the miracle, we
must attend to the meaning of the two objects,
which are the principal in the operation.
Concerning the serpent we have spoken al-
ready ; and shewn that it Was a favourite em-;
blem, by which a human divinity, a benign

genius, j^gathodaenjon, was signified. In wh.j^\
acceptation a rod was held by the Hebrews,
and what it typically represented, can only be
found frpm their own writings. iV'^d by these-
we may le^rn that it demoted ^uppprt and as^
astance j also rule, authority^ an<l dominion.
The Psalmist says, T^v^h / tvql^ through the
VnUeyaftke Jth^(fow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thoij ^rt with me^ thy ro^ and thy staff they
comfort me, Ps^l. xxiii. 4. It here signifies
plainly assistance ai^ support, That it relates
to authority and pq^er we may perceive, by
Mose^ beipg constantly ordere4 to take hi^
rod in hig h^^xd. And we are accordingly
told, whep, he left Jethro to return to Egypt,
that he toofe the rod of Qod with him, Exod^
ch. iv. ver. 20, When |ie appears before
Pharaoh, he is ordered to t^ke the rod which
had been turned to a serpent in his hand. Exod-
ph. yii. yer. i^, The same injunction is given
to his brptkerXr&j/i itntg ^arofl. Take thy rod,
md stretch out thine hand Upon the waters, v. I9.
its typical signification may be farther known
from a variety of passages in scripture ; out
of which the following will suflflce. Jeremiah,
speaking of the ruin of Moab, which had been
in a flourishing state.y says, How is the strong

220

staff" broken^ and the^ beautiful rod ! ch. xlviii,
vpr. 17, Tt^e same prophet, speaking ofthq
Jewish theocracy, ^Vf^r—Israel is the rod of his
inherit anccy ch. li. yer, ig. that is, the rule,
government, smd kirjgdom of Israel belongs
solely to Gpd. Again— I'/z,? Lord said unto my
fjord~^ — T^e Lord shall fend tfpe rod of thy
strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of
time enemies. Psalin ex. ver. 1, g. — There
fhall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse.
Jsaiahj ch. xi. ver. 1. frorq hence we may
infer, that iieither Moses, nor the Israelites^
cpuld mistake the purport of the miracle, when
his rod wa§ turned into a serpent, The im-
ine4iate signification seems to have been, that
human support should be improve4 to divine
assistance; and, instead of the authority of
man, the people should be under the guidance
gnd authority of the ^ Almighty. His king-
dom should be established among them.

' St Paul quote? the Pjalraist concepnii?g our Savidur. 'p
testti n, i ©go; £,5 T«, diaw ra xiau;. r«Q<; taOi/TUTos i g*SS«s

Ti:? £<to-iAs(«s 5-s. Hebrews i. 8.

221

Cftnfierning the Purport of the second 'Miracle.

But there was certainly a farther meaningy
and a circumstance of more consequence inti-
mated, though the people at that time might
not apprehend it. Jn the history of this oper-
ation, as well as in that of the brazen serpent,
mentioned above, we have pointed out to us
the Redeemer, that good physician, that be-
nign human divinity, who was to heal us from
all deadly infection, restore us to life, and
cleanse us from every impurity. That this
was the thing ultimately signified, we may
perceive by what immediately follows. For
Moses was ordered to "put his hand into his
bosom ; and he did so : when upon taking it
out again, it was found fbul arid Idathsome,
being infected with leprosy and white as snow.
He was directed to put it into his bosom a se-
cond time ; and when he drew it oiit, it ap-
peared, pure and wholesome ; all taint and in-
fection were cleansed away. From hence I
should judge, that these miraculous repre-
sentations had a covert meaning: and that
they did not relate to the Israelitiss only and
their deliverance from bondage ; but to the

2§S

redemption of the whole world ; and to i\i^
means by which it is to be effected. In shorty
there are three things presented to our view---
the deity, the disease, and the cure. However
concise the history^ the meaning cantiot ht
tnistaken^

Of the Mif^acie to b^e renewed.

It wks farthef eiijbined to Moses, that, wheii
he came among his people^ he shpitild act ovef '
again .what he hM nbW done, ^ith his rod^
and with his hand ; and the same conse-
quences were to foUoWi E^ch sign wal to be
precisely repeated for the conviction of the Is-
raelites, And the Lord gave bim this assur-
ance— 'Exodus, -chap, iv. ver. 8. jAnd it shoA
come to pass, if they wiUmt belietd thee, neither-
hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they
will belieaie the voice of the latter sign.

V. 9» And it shall come to paSs^ if they wilt
not helieise also these two signs, (of the rodj and
of his hand) neither hearken unto thy voice^ that
thou shaft take of the water of the rivet; and
pour it upon the dry-land; find the water, which
thou takest out tf the river, shall become bked

22S

upon the dry-land. Thus we fitid) that tiie
whole of this mystery was to cdnclude in
blood.

Of Moses an Oracle, and a reputed Divinity.

Moses heard all these assurances in respect
both to Pharaoh and the Israelites ; yet a diffi-
dence of himself was still predominant ; and
}ie could not help uttering his unnecessary
fears. Exod. iv. lO. And Moses s'aid unto the
Lord, my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither here-
tofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy ser-
vantj but 1 am slow of speech, and of a slow
tongue.

V- 1 1. And the Lord said unto him. Who hath,
made man's mouth f or who^makeththe dumb, or
the deaf, or the seeing, or the blindf have not I
the Lord?

It is said, that the Lord was displeased with
this backwardness ; yet, in compassion to hu-
man weakness, he condescended to assure him
of farther assistance. That he would influence
Aaron, his brother, who should certainly come
with joy to meet him on his approach towards
Egypt.

V. 15. And thou shalt speetk unto him,, and

put words in his mouth j and I will be with, thy,
moutfi^ and pith his mouthy and will teach you
what ye shall do;

V. 16. And he shall be thy spokes fndti tint 6
the people: and he shall he^ even he shall be to
tM6 insitad of d mbuthj and thou shdlt he unt9
Mm instead of God:

Ey thi? i$ meant, that Mose^ should be like
a divine oracle 5 whose responses were disclos-
ed by his priest, or prophet. He wasj as a di-
vinity, to suggestj and another was to declare
his purpose. But the first suggestion was to
come from God ; by whom Moses himself was
to be originally inspired.—' Thorn shalt speak
unto hiTii\ (thy brother) and put; iJdords in Ms
mouth. But ahteefidently to this — I will put
words in thy mouth. Thus Moses was made
ihe oracle of God. This is very remarkable 5
for we find, that among tlie Egyptians he: was
stiled Alpha, or more properly Alphi, which
signifies the * mouth or oracle of God. We
are indebted to Ptokmy 3 Hephestion for this

' Expdus iv. 15.

* *Bb«- Vox Dei. This. circumstance I have mentioned
in a former treatise: but it is so necessary to the preserijf
purpose, that I am obliged to introduce it again.

^ Apud Photium, p. 485. sect, exci

^25

intelligence ; who howeveiv iiot knowing the
purport of the name, has done every thing in
his power to ruin the history. He would in-
terpret a foreign term by a Greciarr etymo-
logy ; and supposes it to be derived from aX-
^05, alphos, vitiligo. From hence he would
insinuate, that Moses was infected with leprosy.
If the prophet had been the least tainted with
such a disorder, he must have been- in no fit
condition for such an embassy ; as he would
have had little chaiice of gaining access to
Pharaoh, or being admitted to the elders of his
own people. Let it then suffice^ that— 'Mwc-jjj, o
Tonv 'ES^a/an Nojiito^eT^js Ax^a tKaXitrd : Moses", the
lawgiver of the Hebrews, was called (among the
Eg3rptians) Alpha. Let us see, y^hat was the
purport of the title among the people^ from
whence he came ; or at least those of their
neighbourhood, who were connected with
them. The Phenicians came originally from
Egypt; and carried with them much of the
religion of that country. We acdordirigly
are told, — ■A'K(pu, £»?, * xs(pu\fi<i»biviKii. Among

' Apud Photium, p. 485. Sect, cxti;
* Hesychius. So it is altered by the learned Bochart.
Originally it stood— ;»A<p« Sbe; x.i(^x\t,.' Geog. Sacra. 1. 2.

p. 738;

226

the Fhenicians Alpha signifies an ox, or an head:
i.e. a chief, or leader. Again™ Axf?j, t;/*;j.
Sy ' Jlphe, is denoted vake and homur. Ax^Jr
5-m, avSgwxoi ivrii^bi, QutiKitg. '' Alphestx are
Honourable personages: kings and princes. Plu^
tarch tdls us, that Cadmus was supposed to
have given the name of Alpha to the first let-
ter of his alphabet in honour of the sacred
bull or cow of ' Phenicia ; which was distin-
guished by this title. For this animal was by
the Phenicians, as well as the Egyptians,
esteemed sacred, and oracular : and therefore
called aiphi, (^haC) the voice of God. This is
intimated by the story of Cadmus; who
is said to have been directed to his place of
residence by a 4 bull or cow: which weitit
before him, and shewed him the way. By

* Ibid. See Scholia in Iliad. S. v. 593. .

* So the words should be placed. See Hesych.

iSxteimiti BT« x,»>^M rtv Sav. Plutarch. Syiiipos. ix. S. p; 738.
Both the Apis, and Mnevis ; also the GoW at Momemphis,
were esteemed; oracular. These animals were stiled Alphi
on this account — as being interpreters of the.will of thegods;

* Some writers speak of his conductor being a bull ; others
a cow. They were equally held sacred by the Phenicians ;
and Porphyry says, that this people would sooner have fed
upon a human body than have tasted the Sesh of any kine.

this was originally meaijit, that he formed hi^
route in obedience to Alpha^ an orapk. From
these evidences it appears, that this term was
used for an honourable and prophetic title ;
and it was justly appropriated by th? Egyp-
tians to Mpses : as he was appointed to be

God's oracle, and Aaron his interpreter.

' / will be loith thy movthi^^cmd he, even he shall
be to thee instead of a mouth, md thou shalt he to
him instead of a god. A^in : — See * / hceuE
made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy bro-
ther shall be thy prophet. What could be more
apposite than for people to give to this pro-
phetic personage the name of (V)*?!*) Alphi;
expressed by the Greeks Alpha; which pre-
ci^ly signifies— Ti5(? Mouth of God- There
was an account given by Helladius Besanti-
jipus of Moses being recorded by the Egyp-
tians under this title : but he explained it in
the same idle * manner^ as Ptolemy Hephae-
stion had done before. He also referred to
Philo Judaus in support of his hypothesis ;
but there is nothing in Philo to his purpose.

• Exodus, iV. 15, 16. » Chap. vii. 1.
' Apud Photium, sect. Cclxxix. p. 1578.

* He derived it from Alpha, vitiligo.

Q2

t2B

He is therefore justly condemned by ' Photius
for the falsity of his appeal. He is however a
Voucher, that the title Alpha was conferred,
though he did not understand the purport.

Diodorus Siculus gave an ample account of
Moses and the Israe^itish nation, in his fortieth
book ; part of which' is still extant. There
are many things, which he has not truly re-
presented : yet the account in general is cu-
rious ; and the character of the prophet well
maintained. And though he does hot express-
ly tell us, that Moses was called Alphi, yet he
mentions what Amounts to the same purpose,
that he had a communicatian with the deity,
and spake as he directed ; so that his words
were to be esteemed the voice of God ; and
the prophet himself his mouth. For he says,
that, at the close of the laws given to the
Jews, was subjoined, * Mmiryis axecas tk Qift
rah \iy%i roig lisdctioig. The purport of which
is plainly — that tJie institutes given by the pro-
phet were received by him immediately from the

<PAa«jS( K«i ouT»s Ton M«ri)V AA<p« K«As;ir5«i Si»ti ay^tptt; to «■«;-
ftcc tMnne^tx-roi ))». y.«( KoiXii ts ■^zviisi r.»t <biy^m» fjajruga. ibid.
The words of Photius.

T»To» 5rg05-«y»^s«jai!-(» A^iQU^m, x-at ts/ii^mrn avToig ayyiXov ymf-
Sm im TH &es 7r^o<rr»yfUirm. Diodori Frag. 1. xl. p. 922.

229

deity, whose will he made known to the people.
In another place mention, is made of his re-
ceiving these laws from that God- — ' rov law
srixui.fi^siiajit who was called lao, the same as
Jehovah.

He was represented not only as an Oracle^ but as
a Deity.

I have mentioned a particular passage in
Exodus, where these remarkable words occur
— *And the Lord said unto Moses, see I have
made thee a God to Pliaraoh, This is said by 3
Arlapanus and others to have been in some
measure fulfilled, and that Moses was esteem^
ed and recorded as a deity. Philo seems to
intimate the same. * 'Knxa h Atyvrrog tks
VTrep TWO affiQriSiVTuy hixag txrtvsi, th QairiKeuovTos
7ng %»f as Q?a^a.w {^^offtiyo^ivdn) ©so?. But when
the people of Egypt suffered the punishments due
to their ctimes against heaven, he was there stil-
■ed the god of Fharaoh, the king of the country.

' Ibid. 1. 1. p. 84.

» Exodus vii. 1. also iv, 15, \6.-~-Thou shalt be to him
{^hzron) instead of God,

3 —virt tut \%twt irctlis riftyis. r.ti,t»%m)in», », T. h, Apud
Euseb. P. E. 1. 9. p. 432.

♦ PhUo de Nom. Mutat. v. 1. p. 597.

Josephus speaks nearly to the same pur-
Jiose. ' Turov h rpv ttv^a, ^av/A«f9i' if'iv A<yy*-
h6i xai hior v6pi.i^iiffi. They to this day look upon
Moses as a Wonderful and divine person. We
therefore need not be surprise4 if he had a
divine title.

Of the Angel, which withstood him in his Way to

We have hitherto perceived the doubts and
diffidence of Moses, and his great backward-
ness toward^i tindertaking the liigh office
•which had been enjoined him. He proceedi
ed so far as at last to incur God's displeasure.
jind the afigtr of the Lord was kindled against
^Qses. Exod. iv. 14. Alarmed at this, he
timely recollects himself ; and resolves upon
the performance of his duty. And Moses went
and refurned to Jethro Ms father-in-law, and said
unto him, Let me go, I pray thecj and return untb
my brethren tiohick are in. Egypt, afidsee whethet
they be yet alive, ver. 18. This shews that,
during the time of his sojournment, he had
received little or no intelligeiice conterning
them. Jethro, who perhaps had been pre-

' Cbnt. Ap. 1. l.)?.46|..

^31

admonished, gives an immediate consent by
saying — Go in peace. Moses now, having re-
ceived his final orders and obtained fresh as-
surances of God's assistance, sets out for the
land of the Mitzraim, and takes with him
his wife Zipporah and his children. And
here a fresh embarrassment ensues ; by which
the divine displeasure was inanifested a second
time. God had pleased to make a covenant
with Abraham, and ordained circumcision
as a test of it, and as a badge to all thbse
who were admitted to his covenant. And it
was enjoined in strong terms, and attended
with this penalty to the nncircumcised per-
son Hhat soul shall ie cut off from liis people:

he hatl^, broken v^y covenant. Gen. xvii, 14. Of
this breach and neglect Mose^ was apparent-
ly guilty, having been probably seduced by
his Cuthite wife, Upon this account it is
said, that the • Lord met him in his way towards
Egypt, and offered to kill Mm for not having -
had this rite performed on his §on. There
seems to have been some hesitation on the
part of the woman ; but the alternative was
death, or obedience. Alarmed therefore with
}ier l^usband's danger, which was iminent,

Expdus iv. 2ii.

233

she took a sharp stone, and performed herselfi
the operation, concluding with a bitter taunt
—-' aMoodyhusband art thou to me. Moses, by.
his acquiescence, had brought down the ne-.
cessary interposition of the deity, For how
could it be, expected that a person should be
a promulger of God's law, who had been
guilty of a violation in one of the first and
most essential articles, and persevered in this
neglect ?

of the Powers with which he was invested.

Moses now resumes his journey, determin-
ed to perform the great part which had been
allotted him. But some perhaps will, after all,
say, 'f Had he in reality any such part allot-
" ted ? The introduction of the deity may
^' serve to embellish history ; but could not
" every thing have been carried on without
f any supernatural assistance ?" I 'shall there-
fore take this opportunity of recurring to the
qjiestipn, with which I set out ; and consider
this point of consequence—'* Whether Moses
" had a commission from heaven, or acted
f' merely from his own authority." If we be-

' Exodqs iy. 25.

233

lieve the scriptures, there can be no dispute ;
bis appointment must necessarily have been
from on high ; and he was directed and as-
sisted through the whole by the hand, of the-
Almighty. But since many, as I have inti-
mated, may believe the history in general,
and yet not give credence to the extraordinary
part, let us see whether the very facts do not
prove the superintendence of a superior power.
In order to shew this, let ns consider whether
any person, so circumstanced as Moses, would
have formed, those schemes which he form-
ed, if he had nothing to influence him but his
own private judgment. Whether it would
not have been irrational, and mere madness,
when he had entertained these views, to prd^
secute them after the manner in which we
fiiid them carried on. For the nature of the
operation, as I have before observed, often-
times she>y% .that it could not have been con-
ceived, much less brqught to perfectiau, by
human sagacity. As the process in many in-
stances was ,contr^ry to human reason, the
difficulties, with which it was attended, could
not be remedied by .the wisdom of rnan.
Hence the divine assistance was throughout
indispensably necessary ; the great work could

234

never have been compleated, nor even carried
on, without it. Yet the difficulties were sur-
mounted, and the great work compleated;
we may therefore depend upon the truth of
those extraordinary facts recorded, and of the
repeated interposition of the deity. This will
appear sti]l more manifest as we pyocee^.

Short Recapitulation.

We see no^ the shepherd of Horeb, the
man slow of ^eech, arrived upon the confines
of Egypt, with a design to free his people.
If we set aside all supernatural assistance, he
stands sirigle ^iid unsupported, withput one re-r
quisite towards the oompletiop. of his purpose,
How can \ye suppose o. persoi;!, so circum-
stanced, capable of carrying on a scheme so
arduous in its execution ? we must continu-
ally b^r in mind the time that he h^d been
absent, and his ignorance of every thing
which had happened in that interval. We
are assured, tl^t he did not know whether
his brother Aaron was alive. Hence it is ma^
nifest, that, previous to his departure from Mi^
dian, he had never sent to try the temper of

335

his people, nor to know how the piince of
the country stood aflfeeted towards them.
Great revolutions might have happened dur-
mg the time that he had been away ; and
those, whom he intended to deliver, might
r^ot have stood in need of his assistance. He
purposed to lead them to another country,
when they might have been contented with
that which they enjoyed j or they might al-
ready have migrated, and Moses not have
been apprised of it. These were circumstances
of consequence, of which he should have ob-
tained some intelligence ; but he seems not to
have had power or .opportunity to gain it.
His brother wa^ alive, and appears to h^ve re-
sided in the court of Pharaoh. And there
must have been aniong the elders of the peo*
pie persons who could consult for their bre--
thren, and preserve them, if their deliverance
were to be eflfected by huipan means. Moses
sets out singly to perfiarm whsiX thehc wisdom
and experience jointly could not effect ; and
this without knowing for certain that he had
any friend or ally. Let. us however suppose,
that his zeal, which had been dormant for so
many years, at last induced him to prbseCute
|his scheme, and that, having quitted his place

236

of ease and retirement, and bidden adieu to
his connections of very long standing, he ar-
rived with his staff in his hand Uke a pilgrim
in Egypt. He had here two difficulties to en-
counter. The first was to get together some
hundreds of thousands of people, who were '
scattered over the face of the country, and
then to persuade them" to follow him to Ga-r
naan. This was a real difficulty, as it could
not be easy to collect them, much less to
gain their confidence. Some of the tribe of
Ephraim had upon a time made an invasion
upon the land' of Canaan, but were cut off" by
the natives of Gath. i Chron. ch. vii. ver. 21.
This could not afford any encouragement to
the remaining Israelites to undertake an expe-.
dition against the people of that coyntry. The
next difficulty was to get access to the prince
who reigned ; and beg, or demand, Ijlje dis-.
mission of so many useful subjects. Moses
was quite a stronger at the Egyptian court,
and not gifted with the powers of persuasion j
and at the same time in character no better
than a Midianitish shepherd. What plea
could he use, or what art employ, which could
in the least favour his purpose ? All that he

' Exodus V. 12.

237

could say upon the occasion was, that he was
a prophet of the Lord, the God of the He-
brews; and that he desired in his name to carry
the people collectively, old and young, to sa-
crifice in the wilderness. But this would
prove but a weak plea, when not supported
by some sign, to shew that it had the sanc-
tion of divine authority. What answer could
be expected from a'monarch upon such an
occasion ? Even the same which was really
given. Exod. ch. v. ver. 2, Who is the Lordy
that I should ohey his voice to let Israel go ? I
know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel gal
Get ye unto your burdens. And what was
the consequence ? — An imposition of double
duty. V, 9. Let there more work be laid upon
the men, tliat they may labour therein: and let
them not regard vain words. They were in
consequence of this to make bricks without
the requisites, being denied straw. V. 12.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout
all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of
straw. Yet the same tale of bricks was de^
manded. This was enough to make the peo-
ple detest the name of Moses. It must have
ruined him in their opinion,, and defeated*ali
his views ; for the people, whom he wanted

238

to coUectj were separated more than ever.
Their disaffection may be learned from their
words, when Moses had delivered his message.
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the
way as they came forth from Pharaoh.

And they said unto them. The Lord look upon
you, and judge; because ye have made our savour
to he abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in tlie
eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands
to slay us. Exod. v. 20, 21.

Thus we see from the wonderful texture of
this history, that the deliverance of the Israel-
ites could not be effected without the divine
interposition. For these were difficulties,
which neither the wisdom nor ability of men
could remedy. Yet they were remedied; but
it was by a far superior power. It was by
God himself, who suffered his people to be
in this perplexity and distress, that they might
wish for deliverance, and be ready to obey*
Accordingly when, upon the display of his
wonders, they acknowledged the hand of the
Almighty, and proffered their obedience to
his prophet, they were delivered by him from
those evils, from which np power on earth
could have freed them. Thns we see, that
the s^me mode of acting may be wisdom in
God, and folly in man.

239

Objection answered.

Bijt it may be said, that these supposed mi-
racles were casual and fortunate events, of
which Moses availed himself to soothe his
brethren and alarm the superstition of the
king. In truth, they are occurrences so inter-
woven with the history, and of such conse-
quence, that it is not possible to set them
aside. That they happened, either as casual
prodigies or artful illusions, must even by the
sceptic be allowed. But they came too quick
upon one another, and at the same time, as I
have shewn, were too apposite in their pur-
port, and too Well adapted, to be the effect of
chance ; and as they were contrary to all ex-
perience j and wonderful in their consequences,
they could not have been produced in the
common course of nature, much less by hu-
man contrivancfe. The Egyptians were a very
knowing people ; and though Moses was well
instructed in all their learning, yet it cannot
be supposed that he could blind their whole
court, and deceive their wise men. The se-
cret design and purport of the operations
shews that they could not be illusions. The

240

last extraordinary occurrence wals the death of
the first-born, and the destroying angel pass-
ing over the dwellings of. the Israelites, who
were preserved. There was a rite ordained
as k memorial of this event, and as a type- of
a greater, which happened thany ages afters
wards. The reference is of the utmost con-
sequence, and too plain to be mistaken." Bat
this rite was instituted before the judgment*
took place. It was observed immediately
upon the spot, and is continued to this day,'
arid cannot be contradicted. And though the
purport of this ordinance "is too plain to be
mistaken- now, yet it was a secret of old.
There was a latent meaning and alltision, to
which we have reason to think that Mose-s
himself was a stranger. He therefore could
not be the original iiistitutor and designer, who
knew not the design. Thus, I think, the his-
tory may be made to prove the miracles. Iii
short, if he did know the secret purport, it must
have been by ' irispirattion ; and this' would
prove, that he was under divine influence, and
had his commission from God ; the very thing
we conteri'd for. '- '

S4l

Observations upon the Route taken by Moses and
the Israelites updn their Departure.

This Exodus nd\v ensues, and the Israelites
arc delivered from the Egyptians. Let us
again consider Moses at this crisis, as acting
merely by his dwn authority; and not Under
the controlj and direction of heaven. We
shall find the whole process of his operations
not only to be Strange and unaccountable^ bu*
imposable to have been carried on; The Is-
raelites are assembled in the land of Goshen,
thoroughly prepared to depart whenever the
Gomfnission is given; At last it comes, arid
the wished-for deliverance ensues. They ac-
cordingly set out under the direction of their
leader^ and are to be conducted to the pro-
misfed landj the country of the Amorites and
Perizzitesj of the Jebusites and Hittites, a land
Jkwifigwith milk and honeys and the road is short
and plain* We may then imagine^ that Mo-
ses carried them to the place appointed, which
had been of old promised to their forefathers.
Not in the least; He lell them a quite differ
rent route. He carried them from one wil-
derness to another ; where, instead of milk

R

242

and honey, they encountered hungef and
thirst ; and, for many years, saw neither ci^y
nor town, nor had a roof to shelter tjiem.

It may be' asked, as this disappointment
musi have been great, how could the people
put u^ with it ? They did by ftp mean* ac,-
quiesee. They vented their rage in upbraid-
ing towards' Mosesy and were ^t times rea^y
to ston6 hitm. Moses therefore, i(he proGe,ea^
ed upGk his own authority, ^cte4 m>ost unac-
countablyy and contrary to justice as' well as
prudence ; for he decciyed the people.. But^
if the hand of heaven wa$ concerned in this
operation, the cai^ is very different. The
God of wisdom, who is the searcher of aP
hearts^ Caa., both foresee and remedy every
difhculty that may occur.' The dispositionsf
of people are open to him, and he. can anti-
cipate the workings of their heartSj and pro-
vide accordingly.- ]^at all this is past the ap*
prehension and "powpr of man. When thei;e-
f ore the affair is attributed to the Deity^ we see
throughout both his wisdom and justice. We
are accordingly told. Exodus; xiiiy 17. wAen
-Pharaoh had let the people go^ that God, Jed them
not. through the. "way of the land of the Philistine f,.
although that was near; for God. saidy Lest per-r

993

n^eatitre the people repent when they see War^
tnkl t^ return t& Egypt.

V. 1 8. But God kd the people about ^ through
the wdg of the "wilderness of the Red-sea. The
ifegtildr route was towards Gaza and ikt other
cities of Patestinef whi<;h were a j*6rtibH of
Ganaaiii and at no great distaiiee from thfi
borders of Lender E^ypt; But God would not
permit them to take this eouricj though com-*
j)endious and easy. For he knew their re^
fractory^ Spititj and hdW prone they were to
disobey ; and the jtfdxiiftity of this country
to Egypt would lead them^ upon the first di-fii-*
fcufty, to return. Of this we may be assured
fixhii what did happen^ wheuj upon some dis-^
iappointment^ they gare vent to their evil
wishes. WottM to God- wS had died By the hafd
bfthe Lord in the land rf Egypt ^ •eohm we sat
by the jksk-potsu and' when i)be did eat bread to
the fill. Eirodus^ ch. xvi. ver. ^-. Would God
that tve Md' died in the liind* of Egypt] &r would
God we had died in this wilderness I Andwh^re-
f^e hath the Lord' brought us unto tBs land, to

fttllby theswordP Were it not better for us

to Tetnrn into Egypt ?' — '-^And ihiy said- one to
another;, let us TOake. a captain^ and' let us return
into Egypti Numb, cb; xiv. ver, 2, Sco.

S44

The Encampment upon the extreme Point df th4.
Red-sea.

We are told, that the children of Israel pur-
sued their journey, from Rameses and Succoth,,
till they came to the border of Etham, a wil--
derriess' at the top of the Med-sea, This wil-.
dernes^ extended from this border to the west
of that sea towards Midian imd Edom east-'
ward, and southward towards Parati ; and upon
the edge of it they encamped. Pharaoh had
ordered his chariots and his horses to be got
ready, and was now pursuing after them. But
they would have escaped, for they had full
time to have got into the wilderness of Etham,
and secured themselves in its fastnesses, They
w:ould never have been pursued in Such a re-
gion, when they had so far gpt the starj;-.- But
Moses gave up this advantage ; andj stopping-
sjiort, led them out of the way into- a defile,
through w;hich there was no outlet. Pharaph
therefore might well say — They are entangle din
the landy the wilderness hath shut them in. Exod.
xiv. 3. , When the enemy's army came at
last upon them behind, they were every way
inclosed, without possibility of escape; If

Moses acted for himself, as a man, how pan
«ve reconcile this proceeding with human pru-
dence ? It is contrary to common sense, and
incompatible with the knowledge and experi^
ence which he had acquired. The neces^ry
consequence of this ill conduct must have been
the immediate resentment of the people ;
who, left to themselves, would not have scru-
pled to have stoned him: they accordingly
upbraided him in bitter terms: ch. xiv. ver.
11. Because there were no graves in Egypt,
hast thoUf say they, taken us away to die in the
ivilderness P "i^uherefore hast thou dealt thus with
usf V. 12. Is not this the word that we did
tell thee in Egypt, saying. Let us ahne, that we
may serve the Egyptians ? for it had been better
for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should
die in the wilderness. This would have been
very jusUy urged to Moses, as a man, if he
had acted upon his own authority, and if these
difficulties had been owing to his conduct.
But as the people had been witnesses to the
repeated interposition of the Deity in their fa-
vour, and knew by whose direction their leader
proceeded, they shewed a shameful diffidence;
and betrayed that rebelUous spirit, which
marked their character throughout. Hence

^46

yn^y be farther peyeeived their ^ttaqhiaa^it %$,
Egypt, and their degeneracy in preferring bon-
dage to liberty j and we may be ferther as-
sured of the propriety, iii iiot suffering thent
to be carried the direct way northward to C^s
naan ; but appointing theirt to be led at a
greater distance, and in a different direction^
thrpugh th^ wilderne^. For even here thcgr
would,, in all probability, hay© tumfid ' back^
had the enemy made the Jea^t overtures, in+
§tead of pursuing them with terror, arid drivs^
ing them through the sea. If we considex:
this as the operation of the Deity, who iS su-
perior \o every difficulty, and can save out of
the greatest distress, the whole will appear
consonant to diyine wisdom as well as justice ;
as it t;ended to promote the great end which
God had proposed. This was, to manifest his
power by punishing the Egyptians; and t@
make use of their perfidy and baseness j to cure
his people of their prejudices, and.! to break off-
all connections with Egypt, i i
- Their preservation, as we are informed by
the sacred writer, was owing to a miraculous
passage through the sea. Some have thought

' Of this we may be assured froni their behaviour more
than once afterwards. See Exod. xvi. 3.

tTlat there was nothing preternatural in this
occurrence ; though it ig said, that the waters,
contrary to the law of fluids, rose i;{) perpen-
.dicular ; so .that ' they, were a wall to the peo-
ple on their right Jiaiid, and on their left. Let
us then for a while set aside the miracle, and
considej: the con4nct of Moses, fi^ has, after
manj^ ^ifficultiei? and ?ilarrns, epndy.cted his
pieopieji by some favourable ipeans, to the pthev
side of the sea ; where he might have been
some days before without any |)erplexity or
distress. And what is his object now ? un-
doubtedly, after this signal deliverance, to take
the shortest course to Canaan^ No, he sets
out again in a quite contrary direction j south-
ward towards Paran ; and having led tl^e peo-
ple through one barren wild, he brings them
into another, still more barren arid horrid.
And, what is very istrange,- they reside in this
desert near forty years, where a caravan could
not subsist for ^ month. There ipust there-
fore have been an over-iuling power froin
above, which directed these operations ; for
no strength or sagacity of man conld have ac-
complished what was done. Neither the mode
nor the means were according to human pru-

• Exod. xiv. 22.

H1&

dpnqe. It i^ moreover said, that in this state
of travel for so many years their apparel last-
ed to the very conclusion of their journeying.
The prophet accprdingly tells thern to their
face, D^ut. xxix. 5. / ^ave lid you fort^y y^flrs
in the wilderness i yguv QlQthes ar^. not waxen ol^
upon you, and thy shoe is not wfl^en old upon t_hy
foot. It is farther said, that ^hen they were
afflicted ^yith thirst, the solid rocks afforded
them streams of ! wafer j and that for a long
season they were fed with a peculiar * food
from heaven- And this naust necessarily have
been the case \ for there was not subsistence
in the desert for one Ijundredth part of their
number. It is plain, therefore, that IVJoses
was not the chief agent, but was directed

throughout by the God of Israel.

^ \ *

' Ife brought streams also out of tfy rock: and caused waters
to run down like rivers. Psalm Ixxviii. 16.

* Moses speaks to Israel collectively, DeUt. viii. 3. And
Ae humbled thee, and su0red ttiee to Jiithger, and fed th(e •with
manna i -which thou knewest not, neiiljer did thj fathers knowt
that he might 'mate thee know thai man doth not live by bread
only, but by every -word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the
Lord doth man live.

V. 4. Thy raiment waxed not old Upon thee, neither did thy
foot swell these forty years. . '

249

Qf their Arrival a,t Sinai.

' In the third, month from their departure
they came into the wilderness of Sinai ; and
approached the mountain, of which God had
apprized Moses, that, when he hrougk forth the
pfiople out of Egypt t they sJiouM serve God upon .
that mountain. J^ere th^ Uw was given with
all the magnificence and terror that the hu-
man mind can conceive. Exod. xix. i^. And
it came to. pass on the third d^y in the rnflrning^
that there were thunders and lightnings, and a,
thick cloud upon the niQunt, and the voice of the
txumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that
were in. the <;amp. trembled — ■ — ^V. 18. And
Mount SJnai ^flJ" altogether on a smoke, because
the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke
thereof ascendtd as the smoke of a furnace, and
the whok nif)vnt quaked greatly.. — ; — Ch. xx, yer.
L8, And alii the people saw (were witnesses to)
tl}e thundering s, and lightnings, and the noise of
ihe trumpsf, and the mountain smoking: and when
the people sjxut} it they .removed, and stood afar

off. Y. ?X. And the people stood afar off,

and Moses 'drezv near unto the thick darkness
where God was. Such was the splendid and

terrifle appearance in which it pleased God t^
jnanifest himself to the people. The whole
was calculated to produce a proper reverence
and fear, arid make the people more ready to
receive the law, and to obey it, when deliver-^
ed. For the law was of such a nature, and ■
contained such painful rites and ceremonies,
and injunctions seemi|)gly so ■ unnecessary,
arid witlVout me^^ftirig, that no people would
have cO^fof raed to it, qv eve^ permitted it to
take pJ^Ggj if there ha^ iiot been these terrors
arid this sanctiori to enforce it. A meaning
certairijly there was in every rite and ordi-
nance ; yet ^g it was a secfet to them, there
v^as nothing i^rhich could' have made them
submit but the immediate hand of heaven.
A shepherd pf Midian. could never have
brought abbu| so great a work, through he had
been joined by Aaron, his brother, and all the
elders of Israel, But Aaron was so far frotii
co-operating, that, even while the law was
giving, while the cloud was still upon Sinai^-
he yielded to the importunities of the people,
and made a golden calf, and suffered them to
lapse into the idolatry of Egypt. Moses there-;

Wherefore I gave them alio statutes, that tiiere not gooc^t
and judgments whereby they should not live. Ezekiel xx. 25,

:s5i

fore>tOdd jingle 5 he h^d htrt a |jer|OTi,t(J gji^
sist hira, unless the great God of all, by whose
f:onin!iaild he iii reality acted, and by whoin
tht law jvas enforced.

^^ft Attempt to ^# to the l,and ofPromisd^

After the spage of three TTJopth^ the children
pf Israel mpyed from Iloreb, in their way tq
Jhe pronqised land, And, before they thpught
proper %o invade it, they sent persons secretly
io take a view of it, arid ,^0 discover the
strength of the cities, and the disposition of
the native^, and likewise the nature of the
^oil. This inquiry, according- to human pru-
dence, should have been made before they set
put from Egypt. If we do riot allow the di-
yine interposition, nothing can be more strange;
|han the blindness of the leader, and the cre-
^lity of the peoples. - They had with much
labour traversed two deserts, and come to the
wilderness of PaTan, to take possession of a
country of which they had no intelligence,
and to drive out nations with whom, they
i^rere totally unacquainted. ' What king, going

• Luke xiv. 31.

35»

iq m&he-^ wear against another king y sitteth aof
down firsts and consult eth whether he be able
to meet him ? Howeyer, spies are at last sent,
and after forty days return. Concerning the
fertility of the land they brought a good re-
port ; but the inhabitants they described as a
foriiaida.ble raqe, and their cities as uncom-
monly strong. The people upon this gave
themselves up to despair, and very justly; if
they had no arm to trust tp but that of Mbses^
For the spies told them very truly — ' The peo-^
pie be strong t hap dwell in the Iflnd^ and the ci-
ties are walled^ and very great: and moreover^
we saw the children of Anak there.— —All the
people that we saw in it are men of a great sta-
ture. And there we saw the giants, the sons of
Anak, which come out of the giants : and we were
in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were
in their sight. Numbers, chap, xiii. ver. 28^
32. 33- The people in consequence of this
refused to invade the land, for they were to-
tally unacquainted, with the art of war, and
the enemy seemed too strongly fenced, and in.
all respects too powerful Their reiFusal there-
fore was well founded, if they had no trust
hut in their leader. A party of them did how-

' N«mbers xiii. 28, 32, 33.J

253

feVer attadk the enemy contraiy to order, and
were presently driven back. How does Mo--
ses act upon this occasion ? If we consider
him not as a prophet under God's direction,;
but merely as a man, his behaviour is strange^
and contrary to reason. He does not, after
this check, make another trial with a larger
and more select body of the people 5 but turns
away from the desired land, of which he had
been so long in search. And, though his
army is very numerous, and he might by de-
grees have brought them to a knowledge of
war, he does not make to any other part of
Canaan, but turns back the contrary way, to
Sin^ which he stiles, that great and terrible wil-
derness^ where the people had so long wan-
dered. He then passes the most eastern point
of the Red-sea near Ezibn Gaber, and having
gone round the land of * Edom, he, after se-
veral painful journey ings, brings the people to
the plains of Moab near Mount Nebo. But
in these wanderings, the whole of which took
up near forty years, he had lost his sister Mi-

' Then we turned, and took ourjourfiey into the •wilderness by
the way of the Red-sea, as the Lord spake unto me : and we
cmpassed Mount Seir many days. Deut. ii. 1. and 8. See
Numbers xxxiii/ 35, 36.

H^rii, and had buried his brotker Astt'cJil iH
Momit Hor; And of all that numerous host
isrhich eame out of Eg^rpt^ excepting two per-J
Spns^ he had seen every Soul tak^n off. If we
consider these operations as carried on at th©
direetipn of the Deityj we may plerceive de-
agiij wisdom^ and justice exemplified through
the wholie process^ God would not suffer the
land of promise to be occupied by at stubborrt
and rebellious' people^ Whom neither benefit^
nor judgments could reclaim j a people wh»
could never be brought to place any confidence
in him, thoUgh he had shewii them that he
Vas superior to all gods, and had Saved thenat
by wonderful ' deli"i^erances4 Besides iii the^e
mighty works there was a yiew'to- future times j-,
for the Deity did not Confine his purposes to
the immediate generation. ' Hence the mod«i
of actings df which it pleased God to make

' The apostle speaking of these jiidgnjefits &ays, Maw, ally
thse things happehed Ut^io tfiemfor, emamples, and they are -writ-
ten for our admonition, Upon nutiom the ends of the world ari
come. 1 Corinth, x. 11. The gfeat ctinje of the Israelites
was a desire to returri to the land of bondage; andtheif
preferring slavery to freedprti: and in consequence, of it giv-
ing up all hopes and all wishes in respect to the land of pro-
iniSe; Hence their carcases fell by the way 5 and they hevejf'
airived at the place of rest.

^55

yfscjr was in eypry respeet agrf ea|>le to his wis-
4opi and providence. But, if we do not allovf
i^is interpo^i^i.o$i of the X>titj, l>ut gppj^ose ^^at
IV^oses proceeded npon his qwq authority, as ^
mere ni^, his ]t)ehaviour^ ^ I have ^ep^atedly
said, is una,GCQuntab]^, an^ contra,ry |o expe-
rience and reason. He act6d eontinuallj ^
opposition to |iis pwn peaci^ an^ h^ppines%
and to tljie happiness and poacf of |hqse wh,0ii^
he cond^cte(^.

Moses, after ^le had seen ^he numerous
l?and^s whic^ he l^ad led out from Egypt die
before him, at j^t closed the Ust by depart'
ing himself upon Mount Nebo. K^e was jusjt
come within sight of the prpmis^d, land after
forty years, a point at which he might ha,ve
arrived in a far less number of days. But
Moses certainly was a mere agen^ and acted
in subservience to a superior powerr

TAe Protedufe qftei^wards.

Upon the death of Moses, the command
was given to Jesus, called Joshua the son, of
Nun, and by him the great work was com*
plcted of leading the people, after a painful

is6

JJilgriraage, to a, place of rest. Under his con-
duct, after passing the river Jordan they en-
tered the land of promise. But it was to be
won before they could possess it; Of the oc-
currences which ensued^ I shall take no no-
tice, except only two fcircumstancesj tvhich
were among the first that happened. And
these I shall just inentionj to shew that no per-
son, left to hipaself} Could have acted as Joshua
did. He was arrived in an enemy's cduijtry^
aiid it wds neceMr^ for hifii to keep the peo-
ple upon their guard j as they had powerful
nations to encounter. What then was his
first action when he came among them ? He
made the whole army undergo an ' operation,
which rendered every person in it incapable
of acting. The people of the next hamlet
might have cut them .to ' pieces. The his-
tory tells us that it was by divine appointment^
and so it must necessarily have been. The
God, who insisted upon this instance of obe-
dience and faith, would certainly preserve
them for the confidence and duty which they
shewed. ^ But this was not in the power of
their leader; the same conduct in him would
have been madness. The last thing which I

' Joshua V. 3. * See Genesis xxxiv. 25.

3r57

purposed to mention is^ the behaviour of the
people before the city ^ of A'L This plage
opuld. muster not much abctve six thousand
men; against whom were to be Opposed all
the myriads of Israel. But an advanced body
was defeated, and thirty-six of the Israelites
slain ; upon which it is said^ Joshua vii, 5, 6. ~
The hearts of the ptople melted^ and became, as
water-. And Joshua rent his clothes^- dhdfell to
the earth upon Ms face before the ark of tlie Lord
until the even-tide^ he and the elders of Israel,
and put dust upon their heads. But wherefore
was all this humiliation shewn ? and why this
general consternation at so inconsiderable a
loss ? This was th^ people, who were led on
with a prospect, of gaining the land of the
Hivites aftd Amoirites^ and other powerful na-
»tionSj who were to be opposed to the sons of
Anak, men'of great stature and prowess, and
who, had pities walled to heaven. We see
that they fdnt at the first check. How could
any jfiader^ with such people and in such cir^
' cumstances, entertain the least views of con-
quest ? There were certainly none entertained
by their leader either from himself or from
his people. All his cSiifidence was in the
God of his ' fathers j and the whole History

S

258:

tciust be set asid^y unless the interpositiofis o#
the Deity be admitted. All the <jperationsy
which at first sight may appear strange, are
calculated for this purpose, to shew through-
out, that God was the chief agent. This was
particularly effected in the downfal of the city
of Jericho, which was brought about merely
by the priests of God, and the people going
in procesaon round it for seven days, without
the least military operation o-f the army. By
these two events they were shewn plainly the
great objert to which they were to trust ; not
to the prowess of man, but to the living God.

Arguments from the Law.

I have made use of the internal evidence of
the Mosaic history, as far as was necessary for
my purpose. More light may be still ob-
tainedy for it is a source of intelligence not
easily exhausted. The texture and composi-
tion, however simple, shew infinite marks of
wisdom; and from what has been said, 1
flatter myself it is very pkin, that the history-
proves the miracles ; and we may at every
step cry out with the magicians of Egypt —

S5^

Ijiij is ihefi^er of God. The very nature of
the Mosaic law ^hews th^ liecfessity of God's
inter^^tosilion 5 for^ without his ordinance and
Sanction^ it cJould never have been established.
And we might rest the arguitient for the di-
vine appoihtment of Moses iipon this sole
foTindaiioh^ that these rites and institutes could
not have been 'Either conceived or enforced by
him 5 nor could he posably, unless eoitiraand-
edj have wished tb haVd carried therti into
executioni They consisted of a code of pain-
fol rituials and burdensome cefeihoiiies ; to
the purport of Which the people were stran-
gers ; and, if they Were not enjoined by the
t)eity, iio good Cdilld possibly have arisen from
them. Fef What reason therefore could Mo-
ses wish to impose \ipon his people so many
rules and prescripts, and bind them to such
SeVei^ discipline, if it were in his power to
have acted otherwise ? The Whole was a cum-f
bersome yoke to the necks of those who Were
obliged to sttbiiiit ; a yohe^ says the apostle,
which neither orir fathers nor we "Were abl^ to
hear. AttsxV. lO. What one end could have
been answered to MoSes in framing these se-
vere laws; or what gpod Could accrue from
them either to himself or the people ?

260

But the chief question to be asked is, thouglr
he were ever so willing to frame them, how
he could possibly enforce them. They must
have appeared in many instances inexplica-
ble, and even contrary to reason. ' What art
or power could be used to bring the people to
obey them ; a people too who were of a re-
bellious spirit,, impatient of controulj and de-,
voted to superstitions quite repugnant to these
ordinances ? Human assistance he had none;
for we find instances of his own sister and
brotlier opposing him, and of the very chil-
dren of Aaron being in actual rebellion. Laws
are generally made when people have been
well settled, and they are founded upon many
Contingencies which arise from^ the nature of
the soil, the trade, and produce of the coun-
try, and the temper, customs, and disposition
of the natives and their neighbours. But the
laws bf Moses were given in a desert, while
the people: were in a forlorn staite, wandering
from place to place, and encountering ' hun-
ger and thirst, without seeing any ultimate of
their roving. These prescripts were designed

' Numbers xx. 2. And there -was nojwatirfir the congre-
gation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and
against Aahn,

2^1

for a religious polity, when the people, should
be at some particular pieriod settled in Canaan;
of which settlement human forecast could not
see the least prpbability. For what hopes
.could a leader entertain of possessing a coun-
try from, which he withdrew himself, and
persisted in receding for so many years ? And,
when at a time" an atternpt was niade to ob-
tain somp footing, nothing ensued but repulse
and disappointment. Did any lawgiver pen di-
rections about corn, wine, and oil in a country,
that was a stranger to tillage and cultivation ;
or talk of tythes and first-fruits, where there
was scarcely a blade of grass ? It may be an-
swered, that these ordinances were^iyen with
a view to Canaan. True. But Moses was not
acquainted with ' Canaan ; and if providence

V. 3. And the people chode -with Moses, and spake, saying.
Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the
Lord,

V. 4. 4nd vihy have ye brought up the congregation of the
Lord into tfus wilderness, that we and our cattle should die
there?

V. 5. And vaherefort have ye inade us to come up out of
Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is noplace of seed,
or of figs, or of vines, or cf pomegranates s neither is there any
water to drink.

' This is plain from the spies, which were sent, and the
orders they received. Numbers xiii. 18, 19, 20, See the

were not his gui4e^ there wa§ little chance of,
|iis getting eyen a sight of it. I|e was m th@
midst of a wilderness, and ^ continued for
near forty years. And in this piace^ and at thi§
season, he gave direction^ aljqut their town§
and cities, cmdofthe stranger WPhin thfir gates g
nvhile they were in a state of solitude undey
tents, and so likely to ppntinixe^ Hp mention^
their vineyards and ' olives,, before th^y had
an inch of ground; ai^d giyeis mtimatiOTi abpu|
their future " kings, When they were not pon-
stituted as a jiation. These good tl»ijigii they
did at length enjoy ; and in process pf timi^
they were under regal gpvernnient. iPut hoAy

ia^d what it is— — whether it he good, or bad----^'whether it It
fat or lean, -whether there he wood therein or not. Moses had
been told that it was proverbially a land flowing with' mili,
and honey: but with the real nature of the soil he was not at
all acquaintied. Whoever framed those laws relating ^o the
ftuitsi &c. could not be ignorant of the country. The laws
therefore were not framed by iftloses ; but he had them fyooi
the person whose delegate he was, even from God himself.

*See t)eut. yiii. i.' '

* Copcerhihg this circumstance so many centuries before
It happened we have the following prophetic threat^ ' which

must affect every unprejudiced person The Lord shalf

bring thee, andthif kitig which iheit shall set over thie^ unto a
nation which neither thou nor thy father shave known; and there
shah thou serve other gods j tuood and, /?««?.' Deut.xxviii. 36,

2&B

iCOTasld Moses be appjrised of it ? Was it by in-
spiration ? If so^ he jvas under the direction
of an higher power, and his rnission by divine,
authority; yi^hich ^s grsinting the point in ques-'
tion. Add to the articles aboye menlioned
;the v^ious ordinances abouj bmrntrofferings,
©eace-offerihg^ and sin-offe? ings j al^o con-
xjenEiing offerings of ^t?onement j and of general
atonement to be made with blood by the high--
priest for all the people 3 the redemption of
the ' first-born, and jthe ransom which every
man was to pay for his own » soul. Nor must
the feasts, or festivals, be omitted ; the feast of
the Sabbath^ of Pentecost^ of the Passovet, the
jFeast of Trumpets^ ^nd of the New Moonf^and
the feast of Expiation^ Also the sabbatical year
and year of Jubilee, the redemption oi^&rvants
jand the.redemption of lands ; aijid above all^
the redemption of ' souk, I omif many ojher

" Exodus xyxiv. 2<J, ^ Nvm?J. xyiii. 15, 16,

* £xodi;ts x%%. 12,

? jlnd jfaron sh^ljl mah an atonetnettt upon the horfis nfit
(the altac] once intfyear^ ipiik the ^lood of the sin-Bering of
atonements; once in the yemr shall he make atonement upon it
fitraughota your getieratiens-~rrTti> V'h an atonement for your
uttls. Exodus XXX. 10, 15.

And this shall be an everlasting statute untoypu, to make an
atonement for the children of Israel far all their sins once at/ear,
LepiL. ipti. Si. also ver. 11.

264

ordinances ; to which we know of nothing
sinail^r in Egypt, nor in any Other' cpuntry."
The heart of man could not have devised
them. If then there was a particular mean-
ing in these laws,' and a secret allusion, and
they were not merely rites of arbitra;ry insti-
tution, the secret purport must relate to eivents
in the womb of time, with which Moses Was
not acquainted. Or if lie were acquainted,
then' the same conclusion follows here as be-
fore ; he riiust have had the intelligence by
inspiration ; and consequently, what he did
was by Divine appointment. The internal
evidtoce, we see, is wonderful, and not to be
controverted. The only way to get rid of it
is to set aside the externa,!, and say that the'
whole is a forgery. But this is impossible ;
the law still, exists, and must have had a be-
ginning. It is kept up by people of the
same race as those to whom it was first de-*
livered, and from whom it has been uniform-^
ly transmitted without'any interruption. This
people iiave now lost their polity, and haye
been for ages in a state of dispersion. And
as there are many things in . the boOks. of.
Moses said concerning both them and their
forefathers, every thing which was predicted

S65

has been literally fulfilled. They are proba^
bly as numerous now as they were of old, Ijut
widely dissipated ; being in ^he midst of na-
tions, yet separate from them ; preserved by
providence for especial purposes : and particu-
larly to afford attestation to those divine ora-
cles, in which they are so signally pointed out.

Farther Observe^ons.

• Let us make one or two inferences more
before we concljeide. If these laws were of
human invention, and this history bf the Is-
raehtes the contrivance of Moses, what could
be his reason for introducing so many diffi-
culties and delays ? Why did he not describe ,
the Israelites as advancing to immediate con-
. quest, and fix them at once in the land of Ca-
naan ? If it had been in his power to invent
the history, he would surely have done ho-
nour to his people. But no historian ever
placed his nation in so unfavourable a light-
Yet he had every thing, good and bad, at his
option. His tablet was before him, ready to
receive any tint. Why did he, deal so much
in gloom and shaHe, when he could have en-

26b

lightened hia characters with some more pleas-*'
ing colours ? We meet with a continual de-
tail of discontejjt and murmuring, of disobe-
dience and rebellion towards God, and of
punishnients ir^ consequence of this behavir
our. At one time there fell three thousand
men for their ' idolatry. At another tijne^
upon the rebellior|, of * Korah, a large family,
by the earth's opening, was swalloweij up
quick ; ^nd two hundred and fifty men were
consumed by an eruption of * fire. At the
§ame time a plague broke out, and carried oiF
fourteen thousand and seven hundred persons.
Another judgment in thej^ same way carrie4
off no less than twenty-four * thousand. All
this is said to have been brought upon them for
their not attending to Qod's signs and wonders^
and for their disobedience to his express com-,
mands. But what sign^ or what wonders coul4^
they attend to, if in reality there were none
(H^layed ? And how could they infringe any '
imrnediate commandment if the Deity never -
interfered ? If there were no truth in these
facts, for what end could Moses introduce thern
k) the disparagement of his brethren ? It i^

• Exod. xxxii. 28. » Numb. xvi. 32.

' Ibid. ver. 35. * Ch*ap. xxv. ^.

well known how disaffected they were at timed
towards him, so as eyen to meditate his 4«ath}
yet he yvrote these things, and wh^t he wrote
he re?id before them. Attend %o liis words
^hicfi he spake to them, wh^ii they yo^e up
against Joshua ^nd Caleb, and were going to
inurder them. N^imb. xiy. |S, sp, §1, sa.
^j trubf (IS f Nve, s^ith the Lord^ eij; y$ kcevf
spoken in mine earst sq will I ^ tg you f |^oae
farcases shal^ faU i^ this wifl^p^sss m4 ^^^
thai "v^ere ntfViiered of you, accwd,i^S to y^ur "V^hole
^um^er^ fiom Pw^py years q14 on4 up^^rd,
which haw murmi^ed against w-e.—r. — But yqup-

little mes theua.; will I bring in.". But as

for youy yoiir carcases they sliallfall in this wil*
dcrness. Was thisj the way to gain good
will ? could these threats conciliate their fa-^
your ? He musit haye been upholden in all
he ^id, and in all hp did ; and there was a
banctkm to his kw ^om above, or he couM
not haye suceeededj nor even escaped theBf
xnaUee. Tlie people would not have wabmife-
ted to sueh painful institutes, nor have stoned
a man for gathering sticks upon a particular
^ay . Their rage wo^ld have been vented up-
gn, the author of tl^e law.

The Spirit of Triith throughout apparent,

Moses speaks of hijiiself with the same ira-r
partiality as he has used towards the people^
Though he mentions that he was highly fa-
voured pf God, yet he more than once owns
that he was near forfeitiiig this bleissing. He
confesses hi§ diffidence and w^ht of faith, and
his jieglect of, some essential duties, ty which
h e grievously offended the Deity. He tells u?,
jthatthe consequence was fa.tal, as he was not,
on account of these offences, permitted to en-
ter the land of promise ; but,, like the rest,
died by the, way, having, had only a distant
view. He scruples not, to disclose the failings
of his brother, and of his sister Miriam,, and
the rebellion of others, to whom he was near-
ly 'related. He writes in the spirit of truth,
without the . least prejudice or partiality, sup-
pressing nothing that was .necessary to be
known, though to his own. prejudice and dis-
credit. And when he has afFoi*ded a jus.t his^

' One would expect that he must have had some partiality
for any nation of Midianites ; but when he found that they
seduced his own people, he shewed them no favour. Numb.
xxxi. 8.

269

tory of the people's ingratitude and disobedi-s
ence while he survived, he proceeds to antici-
pate what is to come, and gives strong inti-
.matiorL of. their future apostacy and rebellion.
For I know, that after my death ye will utterly
corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way
which I have commanded you: and evil will he-
fal you in the latter days, because ye will do evil
in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger,
isfc. Deut. xxxi, 29. And he farther assures
them of the vengeance which should ensue.
' Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and
cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. — ' The
Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine '
enemies: thou shalt go out one way against themj
and flee seven ways before them; and shalt be
removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. — -
' And thou shalt become an astonishment, a prO"
verb, and a by-word among all nations whither
the Lord shall lead thee. He denounces many
other evils which were to come upon this re-
bellious nation; and which did come, as he
foretold, but many of them ages afterwards.
To the principal of these tl^e Jews at this day
remain a living testimony. And what the

» Deut. xxviii. 19. * Ibid, xxviii. 25.

^ Ibid. ver. 37. See the whole chapter.

pft5f)iiet says iipon these occasions iS hbt at-
tended with resentment and laittemess ; on
the tontraryj he sh-ews the Tnx)St affecting, ten-
derness and concern for them j atid a true zeal
for their welfare. We may therefore be as»
sured that things must have hapJ)Tened as he
describes them j and nothing but dutj^ and
conviction could have made him transmit
these tinilhs.

Farther Considerdtioii,

Sueh are the inferences and deduetidni
which I have ventured to make from the struc-
ture, and coiAposition of this wonderful his^
tory, and from that internal evidence with
which it abounds. No Writings whatev^are
fraught with such latent truths as the scrip-
tures in general, and particularly that part
with which we have been engaged. By these
incidental lights the history of Moses is very
much illustrated ; and, I thi»k, from the na-
ture of the events, as well as from the mode of
operation, it is- manifest that he was an instru-
ment in the hands, of Providence, and his com-
mission from heaven.

2tl

Argument still pursued.

What I have said, might perhaps be thought
sufEcient, but as the subject is of the greatest
consequence, I hope that it will not be deem-
ed tedious if I recapitulate some of my argu-
ments, and farther shew the force of the evi-
dence which results from them. It is certain
that traditional truths cannot admit of demon-
stration. Yet, if by a series of co-operating
evidence they attain to moral certainty, we
ought, if we would act consistently with rea-
son, to acquiesce -,, for upon such grounds the
chief business of life is transacted, and the
truth of all traditional information is foundgdk
By thb test also the history of Moses is abun-
dantly confirmed. But let us see, if it be not
so peculiarly circumstanced as to be entitled
to a still higher proof.

I have maintained, and now once for all
repeat it, that Moses could not of himself have
carried into execution such ordinances ; nor
could he ever have wished to enforce them-.
This, I think, to, any person acquainted with
the nature of the law is past contradiction
manifest. For no man would voluntarily

a7a

ihake a yoke for his own neck j rior gi-^e
fetters for his own hands and feet ; iior de-
signedly work out to himself trouble, when he
Could avoid it. Nobody would bind himself,
his friends, and his posterity^ by griev6us, ar-]
trary, and urisupportable obligationsj to the
.purportof which. he was a stranger^ and f^om,
whence no apparent good could arise^

Nothing therefore remains,' but to prove
that the law was giveji, and the internal evii
dehce will shew plainly who was the author*
The code of Moses is not like the laws of Mi-*
nos, Zaleucusj orCharondas, concerning which
any thing maybe said, as there can be no ap-
peal to them. Of this law we have positive proof .
and experimental knowledge: 5 for it exists at
this day. It is in the hands of the Je wsj aekrlowS *
iedged and maintained by them, and religious-
ly observed. If then it exists, it must have had
a beginning ; and if it confessedly could not
ab origine have been the work of man, it must
have been' appointed and authorized by God ;
and the immediate legislator was his substitute
and servant. His mission therefore must have
been of divine original, and his ordinances
from heaven ; which -was the point that froni
the beginning 'I purposed to prove * These

< j

truths are partly inferred and partly experimen-
tally obtained ; and the proofs resulting from
them will perhaps appear to many as cogent and
certain as a direct demonstration. By some
they may be esteemed more satisfactory and
intimately affecting, as they afford more co-
pious and redundant conviction from the. va-
rious concurring articles upon which they are
founde4. Sucb evidence is best adapted to
the general apprehension of mankind, and is
certainly very conclusive.

Conclusion.

Such are the arguments which I have pro-
duced in proof of the divine mission of Moses.
It is an article which deserves our most seri-
ous consideration, For if the law, which was
only preparatory, can be shewn to be of di-
vine origiiial, that which succeeded and was
completed in Christ natist have an equal sanc-
tion. The proofs for the one operate as
strongly for the other, and point out the power
of God, the interposition of divine wisdom.
And as the latter dispensation is attended with
^ greater efficacy, and is the very ultimate tq

T

374

which the former was directed, there can be
no doubt of its superiority, as well as certainty.
In short, if the Jewish lawgiver had his mis-
sion from heaven, and his laws were of divine
inspiration, we must allow the sa^ie preroga-
tive to the evangelists and apQstles, and the
same sanction to their writings. , We may
therefore abide by the declaration of St Paul:
trao-a y^u^ij ho-^v^vsQi-K-^ll scripture is: of diving,
inspiration^ .. <

S75

OF THB

PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Given to ike Children o/" Israel in Egypt,

AND

0/ their' Depaktvke from it.

1 determine these articles it will be neces-
sary to consider, first, what the sacred histox
rian has said upon the subject ; and, in the
next place, to illustrate and support his evi^
dence by every article of intelligence, which
profane authors have transmitted to this pur-
pose. And though the events to which we
must refer are of very high antiquity, yet we
shall find a wonderful concurrence of circum-
stances towards their illustration and proof;
^uch ag few histories can pretend to, though
of far later date. All our intelligence concern-
ing past facts must be either from oral tra-r
dition or written evidence. And the more
distant the fact, the more uncertain we might
expect it to be. But this is by no means the
pase. The histories of Mose^, however re-

T2

276

iJiote, are much better authenticated than mar
ny of Greece or Rome ; not only than those
which approach nearer to the same aera, but
even than mkny which are far posterior in
time.

In ordei' therefore to illustrate the history
with which J am engaged, I shall? begin first
with those passages in scriptilre, which prin-
cifally relate to the descent of the Israelites
into Egypt. And I shall then proceed to
those which .describe their departure. After
this I shall consider the various evidences in
profane writers, which can at all elucidate the
points in question. These we shall find to be
not a few j and they will afford considerable
weight to those internal proofs ^ith which this
history is attended.

pei^^esis, ch. xly, yer. g. Haste ye, and go
up to myfathefy and say unto Mm^ Thus saith thy
son Joseph, God hath made' me lord of all Egypt :
come down unto me, tarry not;

y. 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of
Gffshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou
and thy children, and thy children's children, and
thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast.

Ch, xlvi. ver. 28. Jnd he (Jacob) s^ent Ju-

277

dah kefore him unto Joseph^ to direct his face unt^
Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

V. 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot,
and went up to meet Israel his father.

Ch, xlvii. ver. 1. Then Joseph came and told
Pharaoh, and said. My father and my brethren
— — are come out of the land of Canaan ; and be-
hold they are in the land of Goshen, ^c.

V. 5. And P/iaraoh spake untojoseph^ Sifc.
, V» 6* The land of Egypt is before thee; in
the best of the land make thy father and fy-ethren
to dwell : in the land of Goshen let them dwell.

V. 11. And:j9Seph placed his fathei' and his
brethren, . and gave them a possession in the land
of Egypt, in the best of the land^ in the land of
Jameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

The Situation of some of the Places determined,
upon which the History depends.

Though it may not be in our power to as-
certain precisely the limits of the land of Go-
shen, as it was iii the time of MoSes, on ac-
count of the alterations made by the overflow-
ing of the NilC) yet we may shew deteirmin-
ately where it lay, from its situation in respect

278

to other objects. But before we undertake
this inquiry it \vill be proper to speak of Egypt
in general, as from the figure and extent of
the whole, the situation of the parts may be
better defined.

The whole extent of this country in length,
from Philae and the cataracts downwards, has
been esteemed to have been between five and
six hundred miles. It consisted of three prin-
cipal divisions, the Thebais, Heptanomis, and
Delta ; and these were subdivided into smallef
provinces* called by the Greeks ' nomes, of
which Strabo gives the following account.
Aixa fAsv h 0J?^«<s ima, S" 5 sv t&> AeKra, Ixxat-
hsca b' h [Asra^v. 1. 17. p. 1135. From hence
we learn, that there were ten in the Thebais^
ten also in that portion called Delta, and six-
teen in the intermediate region ; which was
stiied Heptanomis. Herodotus tells us that
the country was narrow, as it extended from
the confines of Ethiopia downward, till it came
to the point of Lower Egypt, where stood a

' It is iiot efertaih who the {verson was who divided the
country into provinces ,called nomes. Some attribute the
division to Sesostris. Tui- ?£ ;g«g«v «5r«ir«» %iq'i%%iti r^atxefru

f«£g» SieAwv (0 Xiva^^if,^ u xtxXtsirt) Aiyvvfi6t Kofilii) i^lfwti itTrMtuq
Ttva^X^i- Diodorus, 1. I. p. SO.

279

^lace called ' Cercasorum, by Strabo Cerce^
sura. All the way to this place the river Nile
ran for the most part in one channel, and the
region was bounded on one side with the
mountains of Libya ; and on the other, wjiich-
was to the east, with the mountains of Ara^
bia. As the latter consisted of one prolonged
ridge, Herodotus speaks of them in the singu-
lar as one mountain, and says that it reacheji
no farther than LoWer Egypt, and the first di-
vision of the Nile, which was nearly oppo-
site to the pyramids. Here the river was se-
vered into two additional streams, the Pelusiac
and the Canobic, which bounded Lower E-
gypt, called Delta, to the east and to the west ;
while the original stream, called the Sebenny-
tic, pursued its course downward, and, after
having sent out some other branches, at last
entered the sea.

Great uncertainty has ensued in the geo-
graphy of Egypt, from its lying in the con-
fines of Libya on one side, and of Asia on the
other. On which account it has been at dif-
ferent times referred to both, and sometimes
to neither. We must therefore always consi-
der in what acceptation it is taken by the au-

» L. 2. c. ^. p. 106. ^C. 17. p. 111.

28d

thor to whom we appeal ; otherwise we shall
be led into great mistakes. Herodotus takes
. Jiotice that the lonians aiid som*^ other Greeks
made the land of Egypt neutral, in respect to
the two great continents on each side. But
his opinion was, that the Nile was the true
boundary, as long as it ran down single ; and,
•when it separated at Cercesura, then the cen-
tral or S^bennytic branch, which divided the
lower regiort^ was the true limit. On this ac-
•CQunt he blames the lonians and Grecians
above mentioned, who say, that there are in
the earth three continents ; whereas they
should insist upon four, if Egypt, and espe-
cially the Delta, were a neutral and indepen-
dent portion. Ov^nrfjCa. h Aa-ii^ »a,t AtSv^ oida-
f/jiv ovosv iov o^&ai Xoyo), St fit] rag At<yv;rTiuv s^iss.
But, says the historian, if we make a just esti-
mate, we shall find no other boundaries to Libya
and Asia, than those which are formed by Egypt.
■T« f^sv <yix,o Kvrjjg (^Aiyvrrs) sivat r'/jg AiSvtigy to,
■h rijg Ag-irig. For one part belonged to Libya,
and the other to Asia. Strabo follows the same
opinion, and makes the great Sebeiinytic
stream the limit of the, two continents. He
accordingly tells us, that going up through the
centre of the lower region, 'we have ' Libya
" L. 2. c. 17. p. 111.

281

on one hand and Arabia on the other. And
when he is giving a description of this uppier
part of the river near the apex of Deha, where
was the nome ofHeHopohsto the east, and
the Arabian nome and Cercasora to the west,
he says, ^ fjbef aw HX/owoX/rij ev tjj A^aSia, er/i',
IV Je tj Xt^vri Ke^xstrou^u toX<5, xcctoc rag Ew^ofs
}teif*,eii}} a-Kovag. On this account the Heliopolitan
none is to be referred to Arabia; and Qercesura^
■which is opposite to the observatories of Eudoxus,,
must be looked upon in Libya. I make use of
the words — to be referred to, because no part
of Lower Egypt was really in Arabia ; how-
ever ascribed to it by Strabo, for the sake of
including it \^thin one continent or the other.
On this account he had better have followed
Herodotus, and made it at large a portion of A-
sia; which would have been nearer the truth.
However, he pursues the same mode of parti-
tion in passing higher up. ' EvnuQtv h o Ns<-
X05 sftv vire^ AsKfu. tuts ie rat, (asv Jsfia ««-
Xeffi AfCvriv ctvcx.v'KeovTi. — ra. ^' ev «^<r£f « A§a,S(uv.
From this point at Cercesura, we meet with the
. Nile above Delta j and the country to the right of
it they call Libya; and all to the left Arabia.
He is here in every respect right, and deter-

• Strabo, 1. 1?. p. 1160. • » Ib!d.

Q82

mines the situation of each place truly. But
when he adjudges the eastern part of Delta to
Arabia, he goes contrary to all precedent, and
has been the cause of much perplexity. Pliny
tells us, — ultra Pelusium ' Arabia est : there^
fore all that was within should be distinguish-
ed from it.

The Situation of the City more particularly de-^
scribed.

We may perceive that the anpient city of
this name was situated in Egypt ; and for
this we have the evidence of Herodotus . and
Pliny. Yet there are many writers v/ho have
adjudged it to another part of the world. This-
has arisen partly from their not apprehei;iding
the true meaning of Strabo, and partly from
their not considering that there were two cities
of this name. In respect to the authority of
Strabo, it is true that he" places Heliopohs in
Arabia ; but this doeS not exclude it from be-
ing in Egypt \ for he ascribes Egypt itself, at
least a part of it, to the same couritry. The "
city therefore might be, and certainly wa?,

'Strabo, 1. 5. p. 259.

283

within the limits of the Nile. This is farther
manifest from Pliny. ' Intus, et Arabice con-
terminum^ claritatis magnae, Solis oppidum.
Within the Boundaries (of Egypt) stands the ce-
lebrated city of the Sun, bordering upon Arabia'.
The true name of the city was On, which
was given on account of the worship. For
the deity there honoured was the Sun, stiled
by the Egyptians improperly On; and the city
in consequence of it had the name of Helio!-
polis and Civitas Solis, which refer to the same
object. We find it to have been a place of
great antiquity, for it existed before the arrival
of Joseph in Egypt. This is manifest from
his marrying the daughter of Potiphera, a priest
of On. Gen. xli. 45. And it is farther said of
him, that he 'had two sons, which Asenath^ the
daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto
him. ver. 50. That it was rendered HX/8«X<ff,
Heliopolis, we learn from * Cyril. CLv, h e^iv
• H/./sffoX/ff. On, which is Heliopolis. The like
is to be found in the Greek version of the
Bible, Genesis xli. 45. The same occurs in
every history either Greek or Roman where
the city is mentioned. It stood towards the
western part of the province, and upon the

' Pliny, 1. 5. p. 258. * Cyril contra Hoseam.

M4

Sebiennylic, or central branch of the Nile, so
that nobody could pass upwards through the
middle of Egypt, but he was obliged to go by
it in the course of his navigation. This is
abundantly shewn by ' Herodotus, as well as
by Strabo. The former says farther, that the
inhabitants of this place were esteemed the
wisest of the Egyptians. Hence many of the
Grecians resorted thither for knowledge ; and
among these Solon, Eudoxus, and Plato.
Strabo speaks of the observatories of Eudoxus
as remaining in his tinie ; but he adds, * vwi
f/jsv ovv ^Kvegrij/,og ^ ^oXtg. The city is now en-
tirely deserted. From the description given
by these and other writers, we may know for
a certainty where this ancient and original
city stood ; which we find was near the first
division of the Nile ; and the nome of Helio-*
poHs lay between the Pelusiac aad Sebennytic
branches.

v«(«». 1. 2. c; 7. p. 106.

Ef* 6i Has is iDv HAtEtTtXiy ecva itvri. Ibid.

— asare «£ 'H>li!{7P«Ai9$ icva uirt. Ibid.

»L. 17. p. 1158.

285

Heliopolis of the Desert.

This city of the same name was of later
date, and according to the authors of. the
Greek version was built by the Israelites dur-
ing their servitude in Egypt. — ] xai uxohfifi-
ffa» voXeig oyii^ac ru fpagaaj rriv n Yli&u, xut Pa-
p.iffrn, xuf Ctv, n sffiv 'HXisvTQ'hit. Ayid they built
for Pharaoh some cities of stren^th^ Pit horn, and
Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis. The
latter part concerning On, and Heliopolis is
not in the original. This gives reason to sus-
pect, that it was an interpolation, and inserted
for a particular purpose, in order to enhance
the honour of the place by this pretended an-
tiquity. We may however perceive from
hence, that in the time of the Hellenistic Jews
of Egypt a secondary city of this name existed..

And we not only find that there were two
cities of this name, but their situation also'
may be easily ascertained. The one stopcl
within the limits of Egypt, as has been shewn >
the other in the desert of Arabila, about twelve
miles from Leto^olis and * Babylon, and to
the north-east of both. The proximity of

' Exod. I. 11. * See Antoninus, p. 169-

a86

this city to Babylon is thus des||:ibed by Pto-r
lemy '. "Ev fAsdo^na A^uQiag — BkCu^.m, 'HXtSn
voKig. Upon the confines of Arabia, stand Baby ^
hn and Hetiopolis, The author of the Itine-
rary, in his account of the Egyptian citiesi
which were beyond the Nile, in Arabia, men-
tions Heliopolis '.

Iter per Arabium trans Nilum,

In Arabii Aphrodito • M. P.

Scenas Mandras M. P. XX.

Babylonia M. P. XII.

Helia, or Heliqpplis M, P. XII.

In Arabi?.,

Scenas Veteranorum M. P, XVIII,
Vico Judaeorum M. P. XII.

Thou M. P. XII.

He gives the like situation to this city, in the
route, which, he describes through Arabia
from Pelusium southward to Memphis '.

" Geog. 1. 4. p. 116.
^ Ibid. p. 162.

? Itinera Antqnini, p» 169.

287

Iter a Pelusio Memphim.

A Pelusio

M. P.

Daphno

M. P.

XVI,

Tacasarta

M. P.

xxviii

Thou

M. P.

XXIII.

Scenas . Veteraiiprum

M. P.

XXIIII.

Heliqn

M. P.

XVI.

Memphim

M. P.

XXIIII.

This secondary HeliqpoUs is by many sup-
posed to have been the city whic^ was rebuilt
by that fugitive Jew Onias, who came into
Egypt in the time of Ptolemy Philometor.
This ' person requested of the king, that he
would permit him to build a temple for the
Jews in Egypt, after the model of that which
was at Jerusalem. He had been one of the
chief priests ; and in his, petition to the king,
he mentioned, that a prophet of his country
had foretold, that such a temple should be
built, and that the place where it was erected,,
should be called the City of the Sun, or He-
Jiopohs. The prophet, to whom he alluded,
was' Isaiah; and the passage is supposed to

• Josephus, Antlq. 1. xiii. c. ?. p. 639.
"* Isaiah xix. 8.

288

be that in which mention is' made of five ci-
ties in Egypt speaking the language of Ca-
naan ; where at the conclusion it is said ■

One flidl be called the city , of destruction. The
learned ' Scaliger has an ingenious conjecture,
that Onias, to favour his purpose, made a small
alteration in the. words of the prophet, and
instead of the City of Destruction rendered it
the, City of the Sun. In ' consequence of this
he obtained a permit to found his temple,
and to rebuild the city. But whether this
was the real Arabian Helippolis may not be
easy to ascertain ; though there is good rear
son to suppose it. He called it from his own
name Onium ; which had a gre^t similitude
to Hf, On, of the Egyptians.: And of this
he seems to have availed himself ; and accord-
ingly gave out, that the prophecy was fulfilled.
The city appears to have been the common
resort, not only of Jews, but of merchants
and travellers who came to Egypt. Dr ^ Po-
cock, and 5ome others, have supposed it to

' Scaliger Animadversiones in Euseb. Chron. p. 144. ad
numerum MDCCCLVI.

» See the Connection of tK? Old and New Testament by
Dean Prideaux, vol, 2. p, 206, 7,

3 Egypt, p. 23.

289

have been Heliopolis, and the same also as
the place called now Matarea. This opinion
is countenanced by the account given by *
Abulfeda, and by the * Nubian geographer,
who says, that by the Arabians it was called
Ain-Shetns, or Fountain of the Sun, analogous
to On. The name of Matarea is supposed by
Mons. ^ D'Anville to signify eaii fraiche,yM?j-^
water: but I know not any authority for such
a supposition. It is remarkable, that among
some Oriental languages Miatarea signifies the
Sun. This may be proved from the * Ma-
layan language, and from that of the Suma-
trans dt Acheen. It seems to be a compound
of Matta and Ree, the ancient Egyptian word
for the sun, which is still retained in the Gop-

' D'Anville Memoires sur PEgypte, p. Il4i

* Geog. Nubietisis, pars ten. climatis tertii.
3 D'Anville, ibid.

* Expressed Mataharii and Matta-harri. S^^ Malayan
Bible and New Testament Amsterdam, anno itSS.

Mattowraye, the Sun. See Marsden's Suihatfa, of Acheefl,
p. 168.

Mahtah haree. Lang, of Batta.-'-i^Mattohat'ee. Ma*
layan. ibid.

Matta-haiti and Matta-hari. See Malayan Gospels and
Acts, printed at Oxford, 16?'^.

Matta'ree. Sumatra, Parkinson, p. 1 84.

u

290

tic ; and with the aspirate is rendered Phreg.
This I have shewn in . a passage 'from the
Coptic Bible, where the city On is described,
On erre e^^-KJ JutepK ne — On, which is the city
ofRee the sun. We may judge, that by Matta
was denoted an eye. Mr Marsden, in his very-
curious account of Sumatra, mentions, that
among the Malayans,, and among ' Mir other
nations, that came under his cognizance, it
has now this signification. Hei^ce Matta-Ree,
or Matarea, denoted the great * eye of the
world, the sun : and the -place probably^ was
so denominated from a custorn arnong the
Egyptians of having an eye described oyer the
portal of their temples. This interpretation
of Matarea agrees well with the history of the
place : and the name was prob^ly given by
the merchants, who came from India to Egypt.
Of this we may be certain, that a city He-
liopolis, the same, I believe, as Oniuni, Was
situated in Arabia. This must have been a
different city from that Heliopolis, which stood

' The people of Acheen, the Batta, Risang, and Lampoon,
p. 168. In the Pampango. Mata, oios, sive oculus.

^ What they expressed Ain Shems, was probably Oin
Shems, which corresponds precisely with Mata-ree, and sig-
nifies Sol Oculus, the eye of the world.— HsAioj U van iipt^x

291

upoia. the Sebeimytic branch of the Nile, and
within the limits of Egypt. Hence Harduin
is unduly severe upon Stephanus Byzantinus,
when he says — ' hinc Stephani error duas
esse Heliopoles existimantis, quoniam in Ara-
biae ^gyptique confinio fuit, ut docet Plinius.
But Pliny dpes not say so. That there was a
city ojf ^js name in Arabia is njost certain :
but there was another of far greater antiquity
in Egypt, upon the centre br^ch of the Nile.
Qf this we have had sufficient evidence from
Hexgdotus and Strabo, and from Pliny him-
self. Intas et Arabiee conterminum, claritatis
fiiagnae, Solis oppidum. When this city in
£gypt grew by length of time to be neglect-
ed and desolate, the other city in Arabia be-
came more noticed. Pliny speaks of the pri-
mary city as being in confinio Arabise, upon
the £onfines qf that country ; because the upper
part of the Delta was so narrow, that the cities
bordered both upon Arabia on one side, and
upon Libya on the other, being very few miles
from either. We must therefore distinguish,
and consider, that the ancient city was intus
et Arabiae conterminus, within the limits of
Egypt, and only bordering upon Arabia. The
' Harduin's Notes upon Pliny, 1. 5. p. 254i.
U2

2^2

other was in Arabia ; and, as will appear, in
the way to the Red-sea.

Of Letopolis.

Another fcity, whose situation should be de-^
termined, is Letopolis, or the city of Leto, the
Grecian Latona. This by mistaike in the pre^'
sent copies of «Strabo is expressed LitopoUs;
of which name there occurs no place in Egypt.
It is also frequently expressed LatopOlis; Which
is equally wrong. For the place so nattied
was the city where the fish Latus was held in
reverence, and stood high up the river, more
than ' four hundred and fifty miles above the
point of Delta. Whereas the city of which
we are speaking, together with the nome of
Letopolis, lay opposite to that point, and tO
the east of the Heliopolitkn region. It was
situated at the termination of the Arabian
Mountain, and over against the pyramids j
where were the qUarries, from whence the
stones were got for their construction. It is
stiled Leto by Antoninus; hnnsg -iroXiq by

' Antonini Itin. p. 160,

293

Ptolemy and • Stephanus Byzantinus, and the
province AfjmvoXirijs vofjbog. It is mentioned as
nearly collateral with the elder Heliopolis,
and in its * vicinity ; though on the other side
of the river. The author of the ' Itinerary
places it below Memphis, at the distance of
twenty miles. According to t Josephus it
stood upon the very hill where Babylon was
afterwards eregted, in the' time of Cambyses.
He placed a garrison of Babylonish soldiers in
it, as it was the key to Upper Egypt ; upon
this account, the hill had thei^ aame of Baby-
lon, and the country about it Babylonia,
Hence the author of the sattie Itinerary, de-
scribii^g the places downward, upon the * Ara-
bian side of the Nile, mentions among others
— Aphrodito, Scenas Mandras, Babylonia j
Helio, or Heliopolis ; by which is meant He-
liopolis of the Deseirt. This Babylonian pro-
vince. Extra Nilotica, was. the same as the

' Atrnuis T«A(5, woAif AiyvsTTS, tf( Ss (»«{« Mt^iSof, »««' it it
jlv^»fiiiK. See Herodotus, 1. 2. p. 106.

» Pliny, 1. 5. p. 254. He calls it Latopolis.

» Antonini Itin. p.' 156. Letus. Memphi MP. XX.

A«T»5 *oA(f, mhn AiyuTTS, Ki h fiugn Msf^iits, ie»i' m m
jlv^nftiisf. Steph. Byzant.

♦ Joseph. Ant. 1. 2. c. IS. p. 111. Mrm itaUs.

s P. 169, Iter per partem Airabicaai. trans Nilum,

294

Nomus Letopolites. And the pbsition of Ba-
bylon is precisely marked out by Strabo ; who,
having mentioned the places which were near
the top of ' Pelta, and the Regio Letopolitis,
adds, ava-K'kiviruiiTi 5' i^i BaCyXsyx (p^si^iov i^vfAvoi^.
As you sail' upwards (from this point of Lower
Egypt), the first object is a strong garrison called
Babylon.

Such was the situation of Letopolis, the
City of Leto, or Latona, and of it's nqfae j
which nome is by some later writers called
Heliopolitanus ; for in this respect great libef-'
ties were taken, as Pliny justly observes;
Quidam ex his aliqua nomina permutant, et
substifuunt alios noraos. v. i. 1. 5- p. 254.
The nome was so called from Heliopolis of
the Desert, which stood twelve miles to the
north-east of Babylon,' according to Antoni-
nus. Itin. p. 169. This district, bordering
upon the ancient and true Heliopolitan nome,
from which it was only separated by the Pe-
lusiac branch of the Nile, has caused no small
confusion in the geography of Egypt. But I
have endeavoured, from the best authorities,
to distinguish both ; which, I hope, will pre-
vent any uncertainty for the future. The si-

' L. 17. p. 1158.

295-

tuation of this place is of great consequence
to be determined; for ' Josephus tells us, that
the children of Israel passed close by this city
upon their first setting out for Etham and the
Ked-sea, when they had just quitted the land
of Goshen. It was nearly opposite to the an-
cient Heliopolis, and to the place of their de-
parture.

C^ the Ancient Cit'if Sdis, and of a secondary
City of the same Name,

There is another city , of which I must take
notice, and ascertain its history and situation j
for as yet I do riot remember that it has been
properly determined. This is the upper and
more ancient city SaYs, Indeed the higher
any cities were situated in Lower Egypt, the
more ancient for the most part they must have
been. For as the soil below was in great mea-
sure, ' lu^ov m •nvra^u,- the gift of the river ^ the
people at different times built, as they got
ground. And here I must observe, that there
was another city of the name bf Sais, which

' Josephus, Ant. 1. 2. c. 15. p. 111.

» Herod, i; 2: p. lOS;

AiywTos !r»T«^»x«r«f. IJiqdorus, 1. 3. p. Ht.

296

must be distinguished from that with which
we are principally concerned. The history
pf this 1 will first determine, as writers have
been led into great mistakes,, from their not
properly distinguishing these two places ; but
speaking of them as one and the same, The
Lower Sais was in the vicinity of the sea-port
Naucratis, i^pon the Canobic and western
branch pf the Nilej and was esteemed the
capital of that part of Egypt. ' 'H la't's (f^nr^o-
miii T^g ^mu Z'^gas- Sdi^ was the metropdisi
of Lower Egypt. Again — * sor/ ra voraf^t^
NaoxgiXT*^. urn h Ts ^OTajXfis he-x,div<Si) hn^aa'a
'^a.'ig- Naun^atis is situated upon the river; and
Sais stands about two scheenifrqm Ijhe same river.
^ Cellarius quqtes the Notitia Ecclesiastica —
in qu| 3a»s primae ^gypti provinciefe, quae
proxima ^lexandriae e^t, ascribitur. Jt lay,
we find, in the firs^ province, as people agcendr
ed the river from the coa^t of Alexandria ; and
consequently was very low in the region of
JDelta, an4 to the west. By these evidence^

? Strabo, 1. l7. 5. 1153. * Ibid. 1. 17. p. 1155.

Naucratis was near the sea-port Schedia. b-«;i(» N«v»g«7

»i» M sroAi) Tils S;ieS;«'s um^df. Ibid. p. 1153.

Aphroditis, Sais, Naucratis. Pliny, 1. 5. p, ^5^.
3 P. 18. ^gyptus.

297

the situation of this city is sufficiently ascer-
tained. , For Alexandria was a sea-port upon
the Mediterranean ; and the province in which
Sais stood was next in ordser,i and coUatera:!
with the region to which the forrffer city was
ascribed.

Of the more ancient City and Province of Sdis.

. It is mentioned by Josephus from Maiietho,
that when the royal shepherds came into E-
gypt, they seized upon the city Avaris in the
npme of Sajs, ' on account of its favourable
situation, as it had the command of the river
every yv^ay. They accordingly, for theai se-
curity, fortified it, and piit into it a garrison
of soldiers. It is of gr^at consequence to de-
termine this province precisely, for it was the
portion allotted to the, Israelites, when they
came into tl^e country; and here was the
city whicl} was given to them, after that it had
been vacated by the former shepherds. * Ttiv
rors rm UoifJiievaiv e^tifXi^hnrai) ^oXt^ Avagiv ovvi^u-
g^Tsv- ' si> No/<-» 'S,tt,tr^. The king of Egypt

' Contra Ap. 1. 1. p. 4;iS. u ufM "Zn'm.

» Jpsephus, ibid. p. 460. ' Ibid. p. 44.5.

298

gave to the Israelites the city Avarisy which
had been deserted by those shepherds who had-
pbssessed it, — and which stood in the nome of
Sa't's.

If then the ancient Saite province can be
ascertained, the region and city, which the
children of Israel possessed, will be farther
manifest. This region occurs under different
denominations, being, stiled the land of Go-
then, the land of Rameses, the iSeld of Zoan,
and the Aratbian nome. By some of the E-
gyptian writers, as we have seen, it was called
the nome of Safs. This Iftst was the name
both pf thg province and chief city. That it •
was a different place from the lower SaVs miay
be fatther prove4 from Plato, who was well
acquainted with it, as well as from other wri^
te'rs, however it may have been at times / con-
founded with it. The difference will appear
plainly from the hi^ory of its situation. * Est
7ig xctT AiyvTTTov ei) ra AeXra,. ve'gi o xara, hopv-
^fjv o-^i^iTai TO Ts NsfXsf pivfjua, 'Xa.iTUog S7ri»u-
Xsf^svog No/*oj. Tsrs h ts No//.i? Jinyi^n sroX/S'
2«J'?. There is a particular portion of Egypt at

' This was owing to the city being in different ages ' de-
scribed under different names.
' InTim^b, V. 3. p. 21.

299

the top of Delta, where the Nile is first divided,
calkd the Sditic nome ; t a which iiovie the great
city of Sdis belongs. Pomponius Mela, speak-
ing of the principal cities of Egypt, says,' '
Earum clarissimBB procul a mari, Sais, Metti-
piiis, Syefle, By this we find that it was in a
position; Very different from the other Sais,
which stood nearer to the maritime towiis of
Lower Egypt. It is said to have abounded-
with ci:^<!>GOdiles and river-horses^ which were
nfever seen below. Nieander, in his 'I'hdriaea,
takes notice of the hippopotamus, and speaks
of it as being found above this city.

* ^Itirst rov Ns/Xof v'lrsg 'la'iv on6a,'Kot(rffaj>

Upon this the ' Scholiast observes, that these
animals appeared there in great numbers,
2aiV voXig A-iyw^rT^ y^fjbsira \-7t'!r6'!coray,m., Now
it is very certain tliat they never frequent the
part of a river nea» the sea, nor were they
ever found in Lower Egypt among the
branches of the Nile. The city is fartber de-

' L. 1. C. IX. p. 6!. * p. 40. edit. Tumeb.

' Scholia, ibid.

Pliny giVes a like account of the crocodiles in these parts.
Plurimi crocodili super Saiticam prsefecturam. vol. 2. 1. 28.
p. 463. ' '

300

scribed by Proclus, who, as well as Plato, re-
sided mmch in Egypt. • To h ys AsXra ypg-^

uro [iiiag svditus tri ii%ta> xai agiffsga xat svt^Ur
"karrav s^iovros. The region stiled Delta isform-^
ed by a division of the Nile, which begins at the
name of Sdis; and ififtead of proceeding down-
ward in one direct stream, now parts to the right
and to the left, and thus enters the sea. Frorn
these evidences we are again tatight^ that there
were not only two cities of the same name,
but we have their sitt|4tioi\ plainly distinguish-
ed ; and the superior city was in |he vicinity
of Heliopolis, and cprrespondsi exactly with
the portion of country given by Pharaoh to
the father and brethren of Joseph. Manetho,.
though he has confounded the history greatly,
yet mentions the ijames of Rameses and Mo-:
ses, and of Joseph, whom he calls Osarsip, in-
stead of Sar-Osiph| the Lord Oj-/y>A; and be-
tween the two latter he does not make a pro-
per distinction. Thus mu^' : we learn express-
ly from him, that tht> k ^f the country af-
forded the Israelites a settlement in the pro-
vince of Sais.

From hence it seems plain, that this pro-

' Procliis in Timseum, p. SO,

mi

Viiice was the same as Rameses and Goshen,
and the field of Zoan, and the same also as
the Arabian nome. It lay to the west, op-
posite to the Nomus Hammoniacus, in which
were the chief pyramids, and where the road
commenced which lay to the famous temple
of Jupiter Ammon. Pliny, having enumerat-
ed the provinces to the east upon the Pelusiac
branch of the Nile, proceeds to those on the
opposite side westward. ' Reliqua (pars ^-
gypti continet) Arabicum, Hammoniacum,
tendentem ad Jovis Hammonis oraculum, &c.
If this nome had been named from its situa-
tion, it should have been called from its proxi-
mity the Libyan nome : and * Strabo does
ascribe its chief city, under the name of Cer-.
cesura, to that part of the world. 'H fjusv ow
*HX<offoX«r<s sv r?j A^uQiet (ftVt ev h rri A<£uJJ Ks^-
itsirovea ^o\ig. The nome of HeliopoUs is in Ar'a-
bia, but the city Cercesum in Liirya. He made
the Nile the limit of the two great continents;
and what he says is very consistent, when he
is properly understood. We have here fresh
evidence, that it was not called the Arabian
nome from its situation, for it was rathet to
be adjudged to Libya, though by some made

"L. 5. p. 253. »L. 17. p. 1160.

302

neutral. Manetbo was misled by the appella-
tion No/*o5 AgaStotg^ which wa? substituted in-
stead of Tabir Cushan, No^os AgaQnav, the nome
.of the Arabians; and he has been followed by
other writers. By which means they have
placed the best of the land of Egypt in a desert.
We have seen that Plato speaks of this city
as one of the most respectable in Egypt, by
styling it — ^eyi^tj arcfUg ^a/g. It was a strong
place and of great consequence, and esteemed
the ^ey to Upper and Lower Egypt. From
hence 1 have been induced to tlunJc, that it
' .was the same as the city Sin in the scriptures,
.against which the wrath of -God was dienpun-
,ced by the prophet EzeMel. A/ni I will set
fire in Egypt: Sin shall ha%e gr£ai pmn., — rr^Avd
I will pour forth my fury upon Sin the strength
of Egypt, This laSer verse is rende.red by the
authors of the Greek version, and I believe
very properly — « ««< tK^iu rot ^p{Ao» fAs em "^ai'v
rov i(T-)Q})) Ajyv^Ts. The former verse also in
the Aldine copies, is translated after the same
manner— ««/ rcc^ay^dnir&Tcxii ^ la'ig. In other
copies it is idly rendered S^jjc;?, Syehe ; for
which there was not the least authority.
Syene,. though probably a city of some con-
' C. 30. V. 15.

303

sequence, was at too great a distance to be the
object here menaced, and to be accounted the
strength of ' Egypt.

Land of Goshen.

This situation of Goshen agrees very well
with the route of the children of Israel, when
they first set out from Egypt ; for we find that
their second station was upon the borders of
Etham near the Red-sea. Had they come from
the Thebais, they could not have arrived till af-
ter many days and several stages ; nor was there
any part in Lower Egypt from whence they
could have arrived in so short a time, and by so
direct a road. HeUopblis lay nearly under the
same latitude as the place of their encampment
near Etham; and from this part of Egypt they
€rst took their journey. The writers who treat
of this history, however they may vary in other
articles, yet agree in this, that the scene of
of these great occurrences was in this pro-
vince. Hence Apion mentions Moses as a na-

' it lay nearly, under the tropic, and was the most remote
of any city of the country.

ao4

tive of Heliopblis. ' Muuirti? 'Ii>^ism}iiT}}i : anek
Manetho goes so far as to mention him * — -
'B.y^ts'jroXiTrig to 'vivog, an Heliopolitan by race. It
is sufficient that he is adjudged to that city
and province, where in his early days he re-
sided, under the tuition of the princess ' Mer-
ris, the daughter of Palmenoth^s, by which
princess he was said to have been adopted.'
Joseph likewise is supposed to have residedr'
here, and also to have obtained here a place '
of residence for his father and brethren. * 'O
(Suri'ksvg (rvvsyu^r^ffiv auTa [JLoiicaQco) ^fiv [jusra, rav
TiKVuv iv 'HX;»ToXs< (forte 'H7i/83-oX<r;j) s\i eicsiv^^
•yag 01 avm voifASVig rag vofActs ii^6V. The king- —
granted to the patriarch Jacob, and to his.familify
a place for their residence in the nome of Heliopolis; '
for here his own shepherds took care of his pas-
tures. As the land of Goshen appears to have
been cblitiguous, it might easily be looked
upon as an appendage to Heliopolis, and is ac-
cordingly mentioned as a jiart of that district;
For it is impossible to ascertain' now how fai-

' Josephus cant. Ap. 1. 2. p, 469. ■

' Ibid. p. 462. He more prob.ably alludes to , Joseph,
Osarsiph; which is equally to the purpose.

3 Artapanus, apud Euseb. Prsp. Ei^ang. p. *32.
* Josephus, Antiq. 1. 2. c. 7. p. 95* :

305

»ny province of Egypt may have exteinded iii,
those early times.

Gosken only a Part of the PrdvificCi

But however it may have b6en described
and adjudged, it was certainly a distinct and
separate part of the province. For when the
rest.of the land of Egypt was punished with
hail — In the land of Goshen there was no haih
Exod. ix. 26. And when there was thick
darkness, the children of Israel had light in their
^ dwelling, chap. x. 23. And as it was the
best pf the land, there is no accounting for its
being unoccupied but by the secession of the
former inhabitants ; of whose departure we
have accounts in the histories of Egypt- When
therefore Joseph instructs his brethren cpn-
ceming the . answer which they should give
upon their being interrogated by Pharaoh,
when he should inquire about tjieir occupa-
tion, he tells them, Te shall say^ Thy servants
trade hath been i^out cattle, from our youth even
until noWj both we and also our fathers : that ye
may dwell in the land of Goshen. Gen. xlvi. 34.

' I •will sever tn that day the land of Goshen. Exod. viii. 22«

306 ^

itod: antecedently, wfeen he %^t sei>t ars^^
sage to his father, his words were, C.o^e dn^.l
unto me J tarry not: And thou sJw.lt dwell in the
land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me.
chap, xly; 9, 10» Ff Qin .h^i^pg Le Clerc col-
lects, that it must have been in possession of
shepherds ; otherwise ,Q,ui colligere potuisset
Josephus fratribiis, arte edita, eum tractum in-
eolendum concessum iri. Sec* The inferej^ee
is good, that there must have been shepherds
in those -parts before 5 otherwise Joseph couM
not have foreseen, that, upon telling their oc-
cupation, the land would necessarily, be given
-to his brethren. And wh^n they are present-
ed before Pharaoh, the king at once deter-
mines this place of residence for them. And
he accordingly says to Joseph, Thy father and
thy brethren are come unto thee : The land of E-
gypt is before thee; in the best ^ the land make
thy father and brethren to dwell j in the land of
Goshen kt them dwell. Gen. xlvii. 5, (). They
were undoubtedly the Arabian or Cuthite
shepherds, who had been previously in pos-
session of this land, from whence they had
been lately ejected. The whole kingdom had
been in subjection to their kings. But they
were obliged to retire, teiiig expelled by Jhe

307

natives. Th6 other jparts of the kingdxMti
were immediately occupied. But pasturage
being contrary to the taste of the Egyptiansj
this particular region lay in great measure ne-
glected. Hence we have a satisfactory reason
afforded for the Israelites finding isuch easy ac*
cess into the country, so as not only to dwell
in it, but to have the land of Goshen given
them for a possession, even the best of the
land of Egypt. — And Itraet dwelt in the land of
JE^ypt, in the emntry of GosMn i andthetf had pos-
sessions therein. Gen. xlvii. 37. Again
^jind Jonph placed Ms father and his brethren^
tindgave them a possession in the land of Egypt j
id the best of the land, in the land ofRamdses, as
PharaoA had comm^ded. chap, xlvii^ 11.

Concerning the Purport of the Name ^

I once imagined, that the term Goshen was
a variation of the name, fe?5, Cushan ; and
that the region was so called from the sons of
Chus, who once resided there; But a learned
• friend told me, that he thought the true ety-
mology was from the Arabian word Gush, a

* The reverend and learned M-t Costard.
X2

3GB

tongue"; and that the land was so dertorti^*
nated from its tongue-like form. It is certain
that this part of Egypt was at times described
-under the semblance of a ' pear and an heart,
and also of a tongue. All these objects have
■some analogy in their shape, beginning at a
point, and swelling out towards their base.
Hence, this region is said to have been called
Rib and Rab, a pear ; and an * heart over
burning coals is mentioned as its particular
emblem. It was also described as a * tongue,
which was a familiar image for lands pointed
and projecting, as this did. * Caesar speaks

' Riph. — quo nomine hodieque t)elta, seU pars JEgypti
triquetra Nili ostiis comprehensa, vocatur a pyri form^. Id
enim proprie est Rib. see Bochart Phaleg. 1. 1. c. 15. p. 59;

Ah Alcairo Rosetara oram vocant Erriphiam, (quasi Ai
Rif) vei terra pyriformis. Leo Africanus, 1. 8. p. 666.

It is called at this day Rif by the Arabians. Niebuher
Voyage, T. 1. p. 194-,

' QHT, Cardia. — See. Coptic Lexicon by Mr Woide, p.
154.

AS and lU, cor. — Orus Apollo, 1. 1. c. 22. p. 39.

^ Sometimes inlets of the sea are called tongues ; but ge-
nerally the term is adapted to a narrow slip of land, or isthmus.

* De Bello Gallico, 1. 3. c. 12. p. 102.

■■ — latus angustum jam se cogentis in arctum Hespe-

riae tenuem producit in squora linguamt Lucan. 1. 2,
V. 613.

309

of towns situated upon such points of land,
and stiles them — oppida posita in extremis Un-
guis promontorii. The opinion therefore of
my learned friend appears to be founded in
truth, and the land of Goshen seems to have
received thi§ name from its form and situa-
tion, and signified a tongucrlike promontory '.
And not only Goshen, but a great part of
Lower Egypt, may have been comprehended
under this emblem, This is countenanced by
a passage in Isaiah, hitherto not well under-
stood, which it explains, and at the same time .
is confirmed by it.— — The Lord shall utterly
destroy the tongue of the Egyptian * sea ; and
with his mighty wind sKall he shake his hand
over the river, and shall smite it in the seven
streams, and make men go over dry-shod. Chap.
ad. 15.

Tenuem linguam, terram tenuem exporrectam in linguw
fortnam. Sulpitii Comment, in Ljicanum.

Lingua promontorii genus. Festus.

' . 1 t he furthest point of Africa, called by Dionysius
frv^xmr y>M^»», V. 1^4.- »»%»f y^«';£W) p en '/miu, £ustath.
Ibid.

* The Nile was stiled Oceanus. o< Aiyusrrwi icfu^vrtt flx-
t»t»t itmi rn iti*^ awrtii JiuXty. Diodorus Sic. 1. 1. p. 12.

To» ii TttTsifit) x^j^memv ftit »voftct cxso iliKxftvi*) Or aS SOtne

|!:ead) s^xmiv, h w tf^^vuft uniMti. Ibid. p. 17.

Different Opinions considereii

Some have thought that the sea mentioa^^
by Isaiah was the Redssea ; and # raong thosq
pf.this opinion was the learned Bishop Lowth^
But the force and peculiarity of the propheej?
is greatly prejudiced by t^i^ application. Tii^?
Hed-sea lay at ^ distance froiij the Jarid of the
Mizraim, and wa§ of great extent, so that it was
inhabited on each side by various independent
nations. The upper part was possessed by th^
Midianites, Edoinites, and Nabatheans, also
by different tribes of Arabians. In the timef
of the Ptolernieg some towns ^yere built near
the most nprth&rn recess, but, for want of wa-
ter and other necessaries^ they soon sunk to
ruin, and their situation cannot easily be asr
cert'ained. But, in the time of Isaiah, we have
no reason tp think that the Egyptians had a
single town Upon this part of the sinus. And
if they had, yet we can- hardly suppose that
the inhabitants, and the nook upon which
they stood, were the great objects tq which
the prophet alludeid.

It is well known that the Nile increased in
the summer, and for some months overflowed

th€ whole ciaufitry. The region about Delta
particularly, appeared like a Vast sea, and the
priiieipal towns and cities became so many
islands j and all commifnicaticfn was carried
on by ships aftd ' boats. Hence the river, as
I haye before mentioned, had the n^ame of '
Oceanus, or fhe' ge^, and was a siirfe guard to
the Whole region^ which was hereby rendered
impregnate, The seven streams were at all
times a sitrOftg b^rier, in which the people
placed their chief securijty, J^snd of all the
pities j that at the p<3int or fongue of Delta
was particularly fortified, as comtmanding the
passage by water bej-^een Upfter and Lower
Egypt. The prophet therefore saysj that this
tongue of the sea shall be ruined, however it
may seem secured by the surrounding waters.
For the Lofjd wou^i with a mighty (southerji)
wind force these waters downwards ; by whj.eh
means the ^even channels should become
empty and dry j so that j^eople ^houldr pass
over without wetting their feet. Hence Jhe
king and people should be brought to ruin fey
being def)rived of their chief 4efcnce, in which
they blindly trusted. The prophet Ezekiel is
accordingly ordered to set Ins face against t^ha-

' Hefod. 1. 2'. c. 97. p. U7. * Dlodorus, 1. 1. p. 17.

313

raoh king of Egypt. — Thus saith the Lord God,
Behold, lam agdrfst thee, Pharaohking of Egypt ^
the great dragon that Ueth in the midst (fhis
rivers, which hath said, My river is mine oian,
and I have' made it for myself • Be/iold

therefore, I am against thee, and against thy
rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly
waste and desolate, from Migdol even to- Syene
and the borders of Cnsh. This was accom-'
plished ; and the prophet foretells by- whom
it was to be effected.'—- — Therefore thus saith
the Lord God, Behold, I will give the land of
Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar/ king of Babylon;
and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil;,
yc. chap. xxix. 2, 3, 10, 19- ^nd they shall
know that I am the Lord, because he hath said,
Th6 river is mine, and I Jiave made it. ver, 9.
The same conquest is alluded to by the pro-^^
phet Jeyemiah, who mentions the like cir-.
cumstances,— £^j/// riseth up like a flood, andt
his waters are moved like the rivers : and he saith,
J will go up, and. will cover the earth, chap,
xlvi. 8. Here the widely extended army is
Gompa;red to the overflowing of the Nile.
Such is the history o^ the sea of Egypt, which,
according to the prophecy, was to be exhaust-
pt^, and all the rivers to be l^ereft qf water, to

313

-facilitate the invasion of the Babylonish m.o-
9arch, by whom the country was to be con-
quered. I will make the rivers dry. Ezekiel

XXX. 12,

»i Hence it seems, I think, manifest, that when '
Isaiah says--'-TA^ Lord shall utterly destroy^ the
tongue of the Egyptian sea^ ■ and shall shake
his hand over the river, and sliall smite it in its
4 even streams, i^c. there is no reference to the
Red-sea, but to the river of Egypt solely*

TJie Departure and Route of the Children of Is-
rael from Egypt.

• After that such repeated wonders had been
displayed in Egypt, and such a superiority,
manifested by the Peity over all the gods of
the country, to the confusion of their votaries,
the children of Israel are at last permitted to
'depart. It was not however a , bare permis-
sion ; they were solicited to go by the vejy
king atad people who had before restrained
them. As the history of their departure, ^nd
the course which they took, is very precisely
described in scripture, it will ■ be proper to
place it at large before the reader, as he will.

314

more readily seie how the mare jftodern ac-«
counts correspond with, and ho\^ greatly it is
illustrated \yy their evidence.

But before I proceed, I beg leave to lay
down some principles, by which I must abide ;
and these, I hope, will be allowed me^ if I am
obliged to controvert the opinions of any oi
our late travellers. In t;he first, I address toy*
self only, to such as allow the real interpositi-on,.
of the Deity in all these great operations^ and
consequently believe the history of the mira-
cles recorded. In the next place, I admit of
no objections which arise from a notion pf
that fitness, expedience, and method, which
are expected to be;found i4 what we call the
common course of things. For th6$e WoTks
were not of matt, but of God. And the rriod©
of procedure with the Deity bears no analogy
to the mode of human operations. When
therefore it may be said, that the great Law-,
giver should have acted in this or that man-;
ner, and such means were most proper, and;
such measures most natural, I cannot agree'
about the necessity or fitness, as the whole is
supernatural, and not to be determined by-
rules so foreign and inadequate. The reason
for my introducing this caution will be seen
in the course of my procedure.

'■'■'■if . , I

T/ie History^ as given in Sctipture.

Exodus, Ch. xii. V. §0. And Pharaoh rose

up in the night, he and ail his servants.

KV. 31. And he called far Moses and Aaron
iy nighty mdsaidi Rise up^ imd get you firth. from
xamngst my people, both ye and the children of Ist
rael: andgo^ serve the Lord, as ye hffve said. •

v. 33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon
the people, thai they might s^end them out of. the
land in haste: for they, said. We be all dead men»

VV 37- And the children of Israel journeyed
from Rameies t9 Smcoth. -

Ch. xiii. TCf. X7. And it came tapass^ when
Pharaoh had let the people go, tluxt- God led them
not through the ivay of the land of the Philistines^
although that was near. '

V. 1 8 . B^t God led the people c^out, through
the way of the wiH^rness of the Red-sea^—

V. 20. And they toqkiheir journey from Suc-r
esthf and encamped in Etham., in the edge sf the
wilderness. .

V. 21. And the Lord went before them by
day in a pillar of a clmd, to kad them the way ■;
and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light;
to go by day arid night.

310

V. 22. He took not away the pillar of thi
cloud by 'day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from
before the people.

Gh, xiv. ver. l. And the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying,

V. 2>. Speak unto the children of Israel, that
they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, betweeik
Migdol and the sea, over against Paahephon ^
before pt shall ye encamp, by the sea. . >

V. 3. por fharaoh ■will say ef the children
of Israel, They are entangled, in the land, the wilj
derness hath shut them in,

V. 4. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart,
that he shall follow after them; and I will be ho-r
mured upon Pharaoh, an(i upon all his host; that

the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.' "

. V. 8. And the Lord hardened the heart of
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he, pur sued after the
children of Israel; — rr-*

V. 9. and t^vertook them encamping by the

sea, Reside Pi-hahiroth, before Baalzephon.-

V. 10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, ths
children of Israel lift up their eyes, and behold,
the Egyptians marched after them; and they, were
sore afraid; and the children 'of Israel cried out
unto the Lord.

V. 11. And they said unto Mofes, Because

therd were no graves in Egypt, hast thou takefi

us away to die in the wilderness f'

V- 15. And the Lord said uhtO Moses

V. 16. — '■ — Lift thou up thy rod,' ;and stretch
out thine hand over the sea, and divide it; and
the children of Israel shall go on dry ground
through the midst of the sea.

V. 1 7 . And /, behold, I will harden the hearts
of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: .and
I Witt get me honour upon Pharaoh^ upon his cha- ,
riots, and upon his horsemen.

V. 21. And Moses stretched out his hand
over the sea; ' and the Lord caused the sea to go
back hy a strong east-wind all that night, and
made the sea dry-land, and the waters were di-
vided.

V. 22. And the children of Israel went into
the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: cf.n^the
waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand, and on their left.

V. 23. And the Egyptians pursued, and wetit

in after them to the midst of the sea

V- 26. ^ And the Lord said tint Moses, Stretch

out thine hand over the sea

V. 27. And Moses stretched forth his hand

'over the sea; and the sea returned to his strength

tvhen the morning appeared: and the Egyptians

31$

pA agapisi it: en4 the l.or^ overthrew the Egyptians
in the midst nf the seq. ' ■ ,

V. 39. $ut the children of Israel walked upon
4ry-land in the midst of the sea: and the waters were
(I wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Ch. XV. ver. 22. So Moses brotfght Israel from
the Red-sea, and they went out into the wilderness of
Shur: and they went three days in the wilderness, and
found no water.

V. 23. And when they came to Marah^ they could
not drink of the waters of Mar ah; for they were hiU
ter: therefore th? name, of it was called Mar ah,

V. 27- And they came to Elim, where were twelve
wells of water, and threescore and ten palmdrees: and
they encamped there by the waters.

What is in the 2 2d verse called the wilder-
ness of Shur, was the same as the wilderness
of Etham ; as we learn from the sacred his-
torian, when he is describing the same events
in another place.

Numbers xxxiii. 1. These are the journeys of the
children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of
Egypt

V. 3. And they departed from Rameses in the first
month

V. 5. And the children of Israel removed from Ra-
meses, and pitched, in Succoih.

B19

. V, 6, \4n4t^^S 4sp(trted, from Suecpfhj' 0^4 piteh-
e4 in ^tk^m, which it in the ed^e of the wilderness.
. y. 7. And thfy remm^dfrm Etkam, Qnd turned
again unto Pi-habirsthf which is (fefbre Baalzepbon:
and they f itched btfore Mig^oi* .

V. 8. And they departed from before Fi-hahiroth,
and passed through the midst of the sea, into the wil-
derness, and went three days journey in the wilderness
ofEtham, and pitched in Marah.
. y. 9. And they removed from Marah, and came
unfo E,lim: and in Elm w£re twelve fiuntains of waters
and tfyrmcore m.d ffn p^lm-tre^s — r-

Concerning the Place of their Departure.

Jt \s, sgid, wiien they left Egypt, that they
JQUfiiey§d from Ilamese§, which we know tp
have been Goshen under another nanje. The
regular road to Caiiaan was downward, by the
way which led to Ga?a aiid Philistim. But it
pleased God to lead them by a different direc-
tion, through the way of the wilderness of the
Red-sea, Exodus xiji. 18. Upoii leaving Rar
meses they passed by Latopolis, as we are in-
forraed by Josephus, and made their first en-
campment at Succpth, which, as we may in-
fer from Antoninus, was little more than thir-

S2C

ty miles. By the name of this place is signi-
fied an inclosure, consisting of pens and booths
for cattle. It was probably built for a recep-
tacle, in which the Egyptians secured and fod- '
dered their flocks and herds during the inun-
dation of the Nile. The Grecians in Egypt
called these places Mav^^ui, and "Zxtiiicti, and
the Roman Scense; of which there are two
mentioned by ' Antoninus, and other writers.
The one was above Babylon in Upper Egypt^
and called Scenae Mandrae ; both which words
are of the same signification as Succoth, The
other was stiled Seenae Veteranorum; and
from its situation, as well as the purport of the
name, was probably the very place which the
Egyptians called Succoth. For it lay directly
in the road to the Ked-sea, and was" at a very-
proper distance for the I&raelites to make their
first station. In going this journey eastward,
travellers are obliged to takie a small circuit oA
account of a mountain, called by Herodotus
the Mountain of Arabia. This mountain de-
scends from Upper Egypt, and, after a long
range, terminates in its direction downward,
opposite to the pyramids and the point of
Delta. It then turns eastward, but at the same

■ P. 169.

821

time forms a beiid to the north. Herodotus
gives a very just description of its_ course, as it
passed in respect to the ancient Heliopolis up-
wards to\yards the southy and from the same
point to the east in the direction before men-
tioned. But the passage seems to be incorrect.
• A.iro ii 'jlKiHVb'kiog ptyai lovu ffstvij es't A-tyujrros'
TJj ft,i» y«f TTig A^aSifii ogps iru^uT^raruij (pe§ov
UTT u§»Tn vgog fjiKrjiifACgiiji ri xai vans- uis peo-
ple pass through the country upwards Fgypt ap-
pears narrow. For the jlraiian mountain exr
tends itself all the way in a parallel direction tu-
laards the meridian and the south. All this is
very plain ; but he afterwards adds— ais/ avu
Tum ets Til* Ef y^^^ji* kctXso[Ji>strii> ^aXua'a'a)) — the
mountain all the way upwards tending towards
the Red-sea. Thil is by ifo medns true ; for
the mountain is never so near that sea as it is
at the point of Derta. It is continually reced-
ing^ and at its fountains in Abyssinia is at its
greatest distance.

The true reading therefore Seems to be this.
Instead of aiu un^ rlmi, we should read — ««<
avdrBrnv u? rnv E§v6^)jii xcthioibiinv ^eiKix.ir<rat.
The ArdUan mountain passes from a particular
point upwards to the souths but from that same

• Herodotus, I, 2. c. 5. p. 106.

Y

322

point t alt's another direction to tU east, and tOf
the Red^sea. This is authentifc^ted by the
,words which follow. For the author adds^
that it makes its turn, zv u >.i66ro^iai si(ri,wkere
the quarries were. He then subjoins — rayrjj
f/AV Xijyd* (jo t^og) avecxoipi^'ttst i; ra ii^fjTai, The
mountain terrrtinati'iig at this place, immdiatelif
passes in a new direction to the part of the world
befoiy mentioned. I have taken these pains to
determiile the raflge of this mountain towards
the east, as all travellers from the point above
to the Eed-sea are (ibliged to follow its direc-
tion, if they go the common and rtiore north'-
ern road. The Israelites in particular are
found to have proceeded that way.

From Suceoth to the Desert of Etham.

This desert was properly a continuation , of
the wilderness from Egypt. . But it com-
menced under the name ofEtham at the north-
ern extremity of the Red-sea. The (instance
from Babylon, and the modern Cairo, to this
point is-, by travellers, estimated to be about
ninety miles. If then to Supcoth were thirty
of these, there remain sixty from thence \&

3^3

their second ftlade of encampinent. For we
have been told that they departed from Succoth,
and pitched in EtMni^ in (or upon) the edge (^
the wilderness > Exod. xiii. so.

From i.tham to Phi-^tliroth.

The IsfleHteS were now secure, being but
of all fear of the Egyptians, and just ready to
take shelter in a wilderness where no army,
without a miracle, could subsist* The want
of water and every other necessary article pre-*
eluded all chance of being overtaken. But at
this instant they have an order to change their
route; and in consequence of it one would
imagine that they would be directed to march
by the left to Canaan, ; the land flowing with
milk and honey. No : they are commanded to
retire from it. AM the Lord spake unto Mo^
ses^ saying, Speak unto the children of Israel,
tkit they -tVK'if and enmmp, before Pi-hahiroth,
(or Pi^-Hiroth) between Migdol and the sea*,
over against Baal-zephon; before it shall ye en-
camp by the sea. Nothing can be more plain
than the command of the Deity; and the situ-
*ation into which they were afterwards brought

Y2

324

in consfequehce of it is equally plain. They-^
were io turn somewhat retrograde, which
is a circumstance particularly to be observed ;.
and they were then to proceed, till they came
— «ara fo^o-a Eiga>0, to a ' moutb or opening
between some mountains, at that day well-
known. And when they had halted, they
were to have the sea on one hand, and Mig*-
ddl, the mstle or garrison^ on the other ; and
over against them was to be Baal-zephon, on«
the opposite side of the sea. The place where
the wilderness of Etham commenced was at
the top of that western gulf, in which the Red-
sea> ended. There were two of these gulfs, one
of which lay to the east, and was of the least
extent. This in aftertimes was called " Ela-
nites, from the city Elana, or Elah, the Elath
of the scriptures, which bordered upon it.
The other was the Sinus Herdopolitaiius, which
extended farther inland, and was nearest to
Egypt. It was thus named by the Greeks
from the city Heroum, which stood at its
northern extremity. Near this point the chil-

' Fauces Montiiim, t, o/, apertura. See Le Clerc upon
Exodus, p. 430.

' Ptolemy, 1. 5. p. 162. It is by Pliny called Sinus Ho-
roopoliticus, 1. 5. c. 11, 259.— — -Deut. ii. 8.,

825

drea of Israel turned back, and passing do wii-
ward with the sea on their left hand, they
were brought into a defile, which consisted of
along extended coast, and was bounded by
the above mentioned sinus to the east, and
by the extremity of the Arabian .'mountain
to the west At the end was the inundation
above mentioned, which from the Greeks had
the name^of Clysma, and supposed to be the
same place which was called by the Arabianjs
* Colsum. This inlet of. water stopped the
IsraeUtes, and prevented their proceeding
farther ; for it directly thwarted them in their
passage, so that they were on every side en-'
closed, and had their enemy pressing close up-
on their re'ar. For r-the Egyptians pmsmd

aftef ihem, . and ojiertook them encamping by
the seuf beside P't-hahiroth, before Baal-%ephu.

The place of this. inlet is, I believe, now for
|he most paart dry, ajjd is called Bedea.by the

' > ' )

• It is now sa|l?cli ^ibel Mocatti. See Shaw, Pocock,
and Niebuhr.

» Some say, that whatever simUaritjE. may have appeared
in the purport of these two names, yet they are of a different
signification. Clysma, KAu<r/i««, denotes an inundation, or
place inundated : but by Colsum" is meant an overwhelming
or submersion. It was, they say, given frop the overwhelm-
ing of Pharaoh and his host.

336

Arabs. It fortnerly ocfcuded some miles iur
ward towards Egypt, passing through a mowth
or opening betweqn the paovuxtains ; which
lAouth or opening is yery justly supposed t©
have, been the Phi-Hiroth of the scriptures,
It is some miles in length, and still retains
marks of the sea, as we learn from ' Monconys,
and others who have passed it. For, instead
of going round by the mountain > of Arabia,
in a direction to the north or the east, traveir
lers oftep pass towards the south-east, through
this hollow way, and so arrive at Bedea, where
it terminates at the Red-sea. From thence
they turn to the left northward, and in afeo^^
ten hours arriye at Suez. This road i§ edled
nowDerb al Touriac, The history given by
, Moncoriys is remarkable, where he describesi
his passage through the length of this openmg,
* Apris diner nous, pasaaroes pendant deux
heures entre des montagneg, qui sont, de cote
^t d'autre fort droites, et fort hautes, etlaissent
un grand chemin au milieu de trente ou gua-

' Of the differenf roads to ttie Red-sea, and Ethara, see
Shaw's Travels, p. 433. and Niebuhr's Arabic, p. 352. Of
the four roads mentioned by Pocock, Derb Ejenef is the
most noifthern, and by this he supposes the Israelites to have
passed, as it led moire directly to Etham, p. 155.

* Voyages de Mons. de MoncopySj vol. 1. ji. 409.

3?7

ratite pias de large ; qui ne semble pas mal a
I'eiidroit, daiw lequel 1' Ecriture dit, qtie Pha-
raon preteixdoit attraper le peuple Hebreu en^
ievxtti^. Aut bout de ces montagnes il y a uiiq

vaste campagne, qui va jusque a la mer.

X^e 18. nous fimes une jbeure de ch(?miji a pi^
toujours dans cstte piaine, quise retressit entre
de hautes montagnes, qui vont jusques a Ig.
mer, et fpnt paroitre cette piaine ui^t canal ar-
tificiel, excepts sa largeur, qui n'a gjuere nioin?
de deux lieus. Nous arrivames a onze heures
au, bord de la Mer Rouge, ou nos dinanaes.
Puis la cotoiant toujours jusques au soir nous
jnarchames vers le nord, et lai^sisant les niontag.-
nes au couchant, et la mer du cote du Levant
— Le 19. nous parttmes -^u point du jour, £t
arrivames ' a neuf heures au Levant de Suez.
At the ernbouchure of this valley, betweeij the
piountains^ was the Glysma of the Greeks, and
the Colsum of the Arabs, from whence the
^inus tools, its name. Here was also a tower
^nd garrison described by ' Ptolemy as —
Khv/r^ct ^§¥gioVf and KKv(rfi>cc, xptr^ot* by t Hiero-
cles, the encampment at C^sma; which was
perhaps the Migdol of the Egyptians. When

• L. iv. p. 116. '

? See AjSpendi? to Antonini Itin. p. 73S.

/

S28

the autlior turned to' the left hand towards the;
north, he went over the very ground where
the IsraeUtes encamped before their passage
through the sea, but in a contrary direction.

I have supposed, that the fchildren of Israel
were stopped and entangled at the bottom of
this pass at Clysma^ raiher than, as some peo-
ple have thought, at the top and entrance,
which was nearer to the modern Suez. My
reason is, because, when a rnountain termi-
nates in a high clifF towards the sea, as the
Arabian mountain' doesj though it leaves suf-
ficient room below, yet this passage cannot be
stiled s'ou^a, a mouth ; or as the Latins would
express it, fauee? mX)ntis, There must be a
valley or aperture, each wayi?ounded by hills,
to constitute such an opening. In the next
place, if the Israelites had been at this place
within sight of the Egyptians, they would
not have stopped here, but entered the defile ;
as people, when hard pressed, always retire as
far'as they can, however they may 'ultimately
despair. They never unnecessarily stop. For
tet the enemy be ever' so numerous, or so well
provided, a small body in a narrow pass has
a chance for a time to make some starid against
them. Father Sicard thinks that this passage,

329

■which, extends along th^t p^rt of the Arabian
piountaili called now Gibel Attake, is not suf-'
licicntly capacious to ireoeiYe such .nunibprs as
were concerned in this rparch. JBut this bb-,
jection seems to be of no weight. For, as it
is well Icno^vn^ that ' caravans consis^ng of
paany thousands of people, with their horses,
camels, and carriages, came every year this
yray to ^n4 frpm Upper Egypt, I do not see
how any number of persons can be excluded,
A large army as well as a small may in time
pass over the same bridge, I have called it a,
defile, but in the mi^ps of Niebuhr and in
other n^aps it appears, of sufljcient breadth for
every purpose required. In some places it
seems to have been two or three, miles wide,
though gradually ^onjtracted towards the bot-
tom. Bishop Popock supposes the passage to
have been here, and Br Shaw places it in the
same part of the sinus. But he makes the I*-
raeUtes pass (Jirectly from Egypt to it by the
nearest road, not considering that they went
first to Etham at the top of the sinus, and then
by an alteration in their route came to their si-
tuation below.

» See Monronys, vol, 1. p. 'HO,

330

Of the Trmnt being at Glysma^

I am therefore obliged to accede to Euse*
bius, and those writers who place the trajectus
Israelitarum' at the Clysma of Ptolemy and
Antoninus. Josephus tells us, that the Israel-
ites beforip their transit were hemmed iri oti
every side by the sea and mountains, and by
the enemy in' their rear. This situation Can,
np where be found but at Clysma. This opi-
nion would be attended with little difficulty^
\yere it not : for the town called by the Arabs
Colsum, £|,nd Al Kolsum, which name is sup-
posed to be only a variation ol" Clysma. This
place they Have farther imagined to have been
the same ag the ancient Ai'sinoe^j the same air
so as the njodern. Sues. Hence they havQ
maintained, that i^ear thi^ city Suez was the
place of J)assage where the children of Israel
were mi^rgcujously (jonducte4 oyer.

It will therefore be proper to Consider the-
situation of the places with which we are prin-
cipally concerned ; for this will lead us to dis-
cover the grounds of the mistake into which
writers have been led in treating 'of Clysma.,
It has origij^ated frorn their confounding diff
ferent objects v/hich they have takeri for one

331

-and the game. The original Ciysma was, as
J hgve said, an inlet of the Red-sea, at the
mouth of the valley called Phi-Hiroth, and
there w^ an eHQamppient named from it.
Where it was situated may he farther seen
above from Ptolemy and Antoninus. In time
it gave name to the whole bay which was
called the bay of Clysma, and hy the Arabs
Bayer al Golsum, And ai? there was a town
towards the upper part of the sinus, this ob-
tained the name of CJysma and Col^um. Peo-
ple have confounded the^e diflferent places,
which has caused great uncertainty in the his-
tories where they occur. Writers, therefore,
are in the wrong in supposing that the ancient
Clysma was a tcjwn, and then malfing infe-
rences in coiisequence ©f thi§ supposition. For
the original C]lysma was m ii^-let pf the sea ;
and, as I have said, gave name both to the
bay and to the town, bebw whiph it lay se-
veral mil^.. This we leam from thgse ancient
authors who have treated of it, and, ascertain-
ed its situatioj?^ , . -:> «>
According to Ptolemy, p. llS. th£! ■* "

latitude of Heroura was - 29° 50'
The latitude of Clysma - - 28 50

Difference, -r - l° 0'

8se

According to Uliig 3eig the latkude ■'- *-
of the Town of Colsuni was 29*" 30'

The difference from Herovim to- the inlet at
Glysma- was on© degree, or near seventy miles ;
but to the town of Colsum only twenty-two
or twenty-three miles. They were therefore
different plaices. ' Antoninus makes the dis-
tance to Clysma nearly the samp. From He-
rot^m to Serapiura eighteen miles, to ClySma
fifty. Total sixty-eight. Ptolemy began, his
estimate from the farthest point of the sinus,
but Antoninus from the city which stood on
one side of it, and somewhat lower; which
has produced the difference of about a i^ile,
and an half, -

One of the canals, which were' with great
labour" carried on from the Nile to the Red-
sea, passed into this inlet. It was probably
dhe same through which a personin * Lucian
is said to have been carried in his- way from
Egypt towards India; Harduin, in his Notes
upon ^ Pliny, quotes a passage from an author
concerning this canal and the place of its exit,
which is remarkable. Hodie in cosmogra-
phia, quae sub Julio Csesare et Marco Anto-

' P. 170. * Lucian. Pseudomantis, p. 893. Salmur.
^ Vol. 1. c. e:p. 340. notiis. *

335

nirio consulibus facta e^t, scriptuiA inveai, par-
tem. Nili fluminis exeuntem in Rubrum Mare
juxta civitatem Ovilam et castra Mqnsei. In
this last word there is certainly a mistake of a
letter, and for castra Monsei we should read
castra Mouse'i, the encampmtnt of Moses. From
hence we may be induced to think that the
ffsfwj! XXwc^^TOf of Ptolemy, the same as the
castrum Clysmatis of Hierocles was not of old
a real prsesidium, but a place so called from
the encampment of the children of Israel, aoid
in memory of Moses. .

In short, it is generally agreed by writers*
who treat of the -subject, that the passage of
the Israelites across was at the bay of Colsum
or Clysma. ' Haud procul ab Alkolsum est
locus in mari, ubi demersus est Pharaone. Not
far from Alkolsum is the place where Pharaoh
(and his army) were overwhelmed. » Khva-fia,
it h 'ffokai x.a.1 to l(r§uijXiTixov ^evyovres rs? Ai-
yvvrmg aS^oj^at to geidgoy hav^cbie^riirav voit.
Clysma was the place through which the Israelites
of old, when they fled from Pharaoh^ passed over
to the other side without wetting their feet. . <

• Abulfeda. See Shaw's Travels, p. 349. notis.
» Ehilostorgius, 1; 3. c. 5. p. 489^. edit.' Reading, i

3B4

We are told by Dr ' Shaw, that near this
place (Goroiidel) the ttatives still preserve a
tradition that a numerous afmy was formerly
drowned near Bedea, the same as Gljrsma.

Opinions canvass edi,

,, The curious traveller Mebuhr seems to in-
timate, that he sometimes had entertained an
opinibn, that the passage of the Israelites 6ver
the Red-sea was near * Bedea. But he re-'
cedes from it afterwards, and gives his reasons,
which I shall take thfe liberty to consider ; as,
from an examination of his objections, we
may possibly obviate those of others. In speak-'
ing of the testimony of Josephus, he says, J 11
semble d*abord, je I'avoue, que I'auteur alt
vOulu designer la vallee de JBedea, si tant est,
qu'il ait jamais cte. MaiS I'^criture saiftt ni
parle ni de montagneS, ni de rochers a cfette
occasion. 11 paroit m^me qUe s'iis aVoient

• P. 34.9.

* On panche encore pour Bedea. Description d'Atabie,
p. 34.9. '

^ Ibid. p. 3^0, The author mistakes the true reuta.
The Israelites went the contrary' way.

6t6 pfgs de Bedea, Pharaon n'auroit pu dire ;
iis se sdnt igar^s dans lepays, et enfermh dans k
^sert: cars ils autoient a la verit^ eu la Me?
Rouge devant tm. a Test ; mais ausi en s'en
appfochant ils auroient trouve \t cheiiiin le
long de la mer vers le nord depuis la vallee
de Bedea jusques a Sues ; et jusqiies au bout
du golfe, route qu' a pris MoiiconyS. The
author is certainly mistaken in respect to Xht
route which he supposes the Israelites to have
takeii. They did not go by the passage from
Upper Egypt, Called now Derb el Tourick, to
Clysma ; and then like , Monconys pass up-
wards to the north, to the extremity of the si-
nus. But their route was by the general and
inore frequented way, called now Derb el E-
jenef, by which the caravans from Cairo go
to the Red-sea at this day. They passed over
the desert with the mountain of Arabia upon
their right hand, and so proceeded to the wes^
tern point of the Red-'sea and the upper bor-
tief of ' Eth^m- Here they were ordered to
turn ; a circumstance always to be kept in

■ Here the aothor himseJf places Efham — II paroit que
tout le district autour de I'extremite du golfe Avabique a
cte nomme Etham. p. 352. Concerning the two roada I
have made mention before from Shatfr and.Niebwhr.

S36

View, as the whole of the process afterwards
is determined by' it. Here at the top of the
sinus they changed, their course, and descend-
ed to the inundation at Clysma, or Bedea;
This was in a direction quite the reverse of
that whiph was taken, by Monconys. The
sinus pf the Red-sea which he had on his right
hand they kept to the left, and afterwards pass-
ed, through it to the eastern side of the sinus:
The author proceeds to shew;, that if the
Israelites had been apprised that they should
be preserved in a miraculous mafnner^ they
might then have suffered themselves to have
been brought into those difficulties which
must have occurred in the defile between the
sea and the mountains : . ' Mais comme il n'en
est pas fait la moindre mention dans eet aateur
sacre, et qu'il semble meme en insinuer le
cpntraire, il n'est pas a presumer, qu'ils se so*
lent laisses conduire comme des aveugles*
Entre tant de milhers de personnes quelques-
unes auroient bien connu le chemin, qui
aboutissoit aux frontiers de I'Egypte, et se se-
roient silrement opposees au dessein de Moise,
s'il leur avoit fait prendre Une route, qiiiles
approchat visiblement de leur pert. II n'y a.

' Description d'Arabie, p. 350,

337

iq^u'a voyager avec une caravane, qui va trouvfef
le moindre obstacle, p. e.wn petit torrent, pour
se convaincre, que les orientaux sontdes etres
intelligens, et ne se laissent mener cotnfne dfis
etourdis par leur Caravan^-Baschi. Thewholfe
of this argument is founded on prejudice, and
abounds with misconceptions. In respect to
what is said about a caravan, we may be as-^
sured, that if any body of men^ however largCj
and however experienced, had been witnesses
to such wonderful works exhibited by their
leaders, as were performed by Moses, they
might without hesitation have followed him,
and not have incurred the imputatidn bf being
led blindfold. But the author does not seem
to recollect that there is such a thing as ^gos ii
f^nx,"-"^ j that the whole was directed by the
Deity. Though they were ostensibly con-
ducted by Moses, yet it was ultimately the
Deity by. whose hand they were led;, and
whose commands they obeyed; who went
Before them by day in a pillar of a clmd, and by
mght in a pillar of fire i who directed all their
ways. It is therefore idle to say— il n'es pas
a presume r qu'ils se soient laisses conduire
comme des aveugles* They were not'blinded,
but had their senses, in full force, and acted

Z

338

according to reason. The wonder is, that
they did not in every instance behave with
the same coiifidence and obedience, as they
had such strong evidence of the Deity being
their director. But it was not so with the
Egyptians. They were in a state of bUnd-
ness, as well as their king. Hence our tra-
veller reasons wrong, when he says—' Pha-
raon ne me pariot point un inconsidere d'
avoir voulu passer la mer a Suds, ou elle n'
avoit peut-etre qu'une demie-lieue de lar-
geur J — mais il eut manque de prudence, si
apres avoir ,vu tant de prodiges en Egypte,
il fut entre dans une mer large de' trois lieus
et d'avantage. The author seems to be totally
ignorant of the true purport of this history.
Pharaoh Was manifestly bereft of prudence.
It is expressly said that God hardened his hearty
in order that these wonders might not make
an undue impression upon him. For there
is a degree of evidence and of influence, to
which we are not entitled. When a person
acts agains't conviction, and turns from the
lights God does, not always leave hirn in that
state of twilight, but adds to his blindness,
and brings on a tenfold darkness. When

' P. 354.

33D

people pervert their best gifts, they will be
farther corrupted to their ruin; and those
who are guilty of wilful and obstinate folly,
mil be doomed to judicial infatuation. This
was the case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
The author proceeds — J 'ignore, si le che-
min de ces deux endlroits a Bedea f toit alors
practicable pour un grande caravane: et quand
il auroit-dt^, il me paroit trop long. Car
pour aller de Kahira droit ^ Sues, il faut 32
heurs, et trois quarts ; et ainsi depuis le
Nil une heure de plus. La hauteur du pole
a Sues etant de six minuses moindre qu' 1
Kahira, et la vallee de Bedea etant situee de
quelques lieus. plus au sudque Sues, une ca-
ravane mediocre mettroit plus de tems pour
aller d' Heliopolis jusques a la dite vallee de
Bedea, et y employ eroit de 35 a 38 heures,
ce que la caravane des Israelites n' aura gueres
pu faire en trois jours. This argument, like
the former, is entirely founded on fancy, and
has not the least evidence to support it. In
the first place, as I have before said,, they
did not tak€ this road. In the next j^lace,
no comparison can be made between the jour-
neying of the children of Israel, and the march
of a caravan; for they were differently di-

Z2

340

reeled. Nor can any time be aSGertairied
for their route, as it is quite uncertain how
long they were encamped upon the borders
of Etham. It might have been, instead of
one day, two or more ; as there must have
been «time afforded for the Egyptians to arm
and to pursue them, after the interment of
their own dead. And as to the way being
too long to be passisd over in the time which
the author allots ; this is likewise a mere hy-
pothesis, in which the author thinks, that
the progress of the Israelites was similar to
the procedure of mankind in general, and to
be measured by the same rules"; by the jour-
neying of a pamel. But this cannot be al-
lowed j for they had' supernatural asistance ;
and there is reason to think, when they took
their journey from Succoth to the Red-sea,
that they travelled as well by night as by
day ; which is a circumstance that has not
been considered. For it is said, when they
took their journey — that the Lord went before
them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them
the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to gi've
them light ; to go Ay day and night: Exodus
xiii. 21. We find the same in the Psalm-
ist. In the day time also he led them with a
cloud; and all the night with a light of fire. Psal,

341

Ixxviii. 14. It seems, I think, to be intimated,
that they performed the journey from Suc-
coth to Etham, though it was nearly sixty
miles, at one time. In reply it may be said,
that if this were the case, the old people and
the children must have died by the way;
the cattle must have been overdriven and kill-
ed ; every leg wearied, and every body ex-
hausted with labour. Not in the least. B.e-
raember what is said by the great lawgiver
to the people, when he was going to leave
them, concerning the wonderful manner iij
which they had been conducted, / have led
you forty years in the wilder 7iess : your clothes
are not waxen old upon you^ and thy shoe is not
waxen old upon thy foot. Deut. xxix. .5. Again,
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither
did thy foot swell these forty years, chap. viii. 4,
He that could preserve the raiment, must be
able to sustain the man ; and the same power
that prevented th^ foot from swelling, could
keep the leg from being weary.

The Alternative.

The interposition of the Deity must be
therefore uniformly admitted, or totally rejec-

342

ted. To this alternative we must be brought,
when we read the Mosaic history. It iridic
to proceed by halves, and to halt between
two opinions. Without this allowance, it
would be impossible to account for the pas-
sage of the children of Isrjiel through the
channel of the Red-sea, even if the waters
had retired by any i^atural means. For the
bottom, towards the top of the Red-sea,
abounds with beds of coral and ' madrepore,
and is so fuir of sea- weed, that it from hence
had the name in ancient times, of Tarn Suf, or
the weedy sea. , * Niebuhr indeed says, that the
sinus, or bay of Heroum, from the top as far
down as Corondel, had a good sandy bottom,
This rnight be true, as far as he had experi-
ence. But the bed of every shelving bay has
in some degree weeds and soft ^ ooze suffi-
cient to' make it impassable, though the
water should recede. This shews how idly
they reason who compare the transit of the
Israelites with the passage of Alexander by
the sea-coast in Pamphylia ; for these two

•^Pocock, p. 135, HI,

* Le rivage n'est que de pur sable depuis la point jusques
a Girondel. Descript. d' Arable, p. 356. See before,
p. 355.

3 Diodorus calls it 9^«x«o-«-« TsnayaJus. 1. 3. p. 173. He
says further, that it was three fthoms deep.

343

operations were essentially different. Strabo
has given us a short description of the pass
in Pamphylia, by which Alexander led his
army. Es*' i' ofos> KX/jCtal za^s^svor i-jrixurcn

iTi T6) aiyia'hu, rut? ften vriv ef/,ictig yvi/^iisfisvfjii,
COS'S sifui Scta-tfAov roig o^evsffi. 5rA)jp/*v^o.i'ros de Tts
TreKccyyg, viro rav xvf/^uruv xuXvttoi^sidjv exnoXv.
There is a mountain called Climax, or the ladder,
which seems to hang over the Pamphylian sea,
and affords at the bottom a narrow pass for tra-
vellers upon the shore. This in calm wea-
ther is quite bare of water, so that people can
easily go over it. But when there is any swell
of the sea, it is for the most part under water.
Thus we see that the Grecian army was con-
ducted over a shore, which is said in general
to hav€ been above water, and consequently
dry and passable. Whereas, when Moses was
ordered to conduct his people, it was across
a gulf with a, descent, the bottom of which
had been always covered with sea water, and
could not possibly afford sure footing. How
then were the children of Israel led over ?
certainly not by any natural means. The
same power which divided the sea, and made

' Strabo,!. I*, p. 982.

344

it stand like a wall oil, each side, could at the
same time remdve all other obstacles, and
make the bottom, as hard as the firmest strand.
The waters saw thee,, God, the waters saw
thee : they were afraid ; » the depths also were,
troubled. Psalni Ixxyii. 16. Thy way is in the
sea, and thy patli in the great waters, and thy
footsteps are not knozyn. ver. 19. Thus saith the
Lord, which maketh a ue/ay in- the sea, and a path
in ^he mighty waters j whi(;h bringeth forth the
chariot' and horse, the army and the po^ver ; they
shall lie down together, they sjiall not" rise : they
are extinct, tKey are quenched as tow. Isa. xliii,.

16, 17.^ -1^0 he led them through the depths,

as through the wilderness. .And the waters co-
vered their enemies ^ there was not one of them
left. Psalm cyi. p, 11.

If then there appears any thing extraordi-
nary in these manoeuvres, .and contrary to the
usual mode of pperatioji: arnong men, we must
not upon that account hesitate and be diffi-
dept; for it was the yery purpose of the
Deity. It was his will that difficulties should
arise, that he might display his glory and pow-
er to the Israelites, and his judgments upon

the Egyptians. For Pharaoh will say of

the children of Israel, They are entangled in the

345

landi the wilderness hath shut them in. - And I
will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow '
(^ter them; and 1 will he honoured upon Pha-
raohy and upon all his Iwst, that the Egyptians
may know that I am the Lord. Exod. xiv. 3, 4.
It is therefore impossible to make the pur-
poses of Divine Wisdom accord with human
sagacity ; for they are far above it ; as we
learn from the apostle, How unsearchable are
his judgments, and his ways past finding out !
For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? or
wJio hath b&en his counsellor ! Epist. to the Ro-
mans, chap. xi. 33, 34.

When therefore the author says, that the
Israelites would not have been thus blindly
led, he should have farther considered, that
neither would Moses have thus blindly led
them. Nobody in his senses would have
brought himself into these difficulties, unless
under the influence of an higher power. —
Hence this inference must necessarily follow,
that such a power did lead and control them.
The whole was brought about by the wisdom
of God, that he might manifest his superiori-
ty in pi-eserving his servants and confounding
his enemies.

The author reasons equally wrong in re-

346

spect to the place of passage. If it were a
more short and shallow way, such as is now
to be found just below Suez, where he places
it, then he sees no absurdity in supposing that
the Egyptians might follow the Israelites, But
if we place it at Bedea (the true Ciysma of the
ancients) then, he thinks, it must have been
too wide and deep for Pharoah to have pur-
sued. ' Tous les Egyptiens auroient ete de-
pourvus du bon sens, s' ils fivoient voulupour-
suivre les Israelites en travers du tel ' mer. He
does not consider, that what he makes a sup-
position was the real fact. The Egyptians
were blinded, and acted throughout contrary
to reason and good sense, being under a ju-
dicial infatuation, by which they were led to

' Arabic, p. 355.

* In respect to Suez af this day he says, that there are
some difficulties in pasMng the ford, and it must have requir-
ed a miracle for Moses to have led the people over even as
it is now -La chose eut-ete naturellement bien plus diffi-
cile aux Israelites il y a quelqiies milliers d' annees, le golfe
etant probablement plus large, plus profond, plus etendu vers
le nord. p. 354. But does not this limit the extent and ef-
ficacy of a miracle too much ? He seems to aUow that the
Deity could conduct his people through a bed of waters for
a mile and a half, though difficult ; but thinks that this could
not be effected through a larger arm of the seabeow, of
two pr three leagues in breadth.

347

their confusion. We must allow this, or give
vtp the history.

A Recapitulation of the Whole.

In this manner was the mighty operation
carried on, and the Israelites were conducted
from the Nile and Eameses to Succoth, jour-
neying all the way near the bottom of the
Arabian mountain. Frona thence they went
to the edge of that desert which was inhabit-
ed by the Arabians called in after times ' Au-
toei. In performing this they passed pretty
high north, and were approaching towards
the confines of the promised land. For there
are strong evidences, as I have before men-
tioned, that the Sinus Heroopolites extended
much higher than it does at this day; to which
Bishop Pocock bears witness, p. 133. Mr
Niebuhr is of the same opinion. » II y a done
quelques milliers d'annees, que le golfe d' Ara-
bic etoit plus large, et s' cntendoit plus vers le
nord : surtout le bras pres de Sues. Car le
rivage de cette extremite du golfe est tresbas.

• Pliny, 1, 6. p. 341.
» Arabic, p. 34S.

34S

In the time of the Ptolemies Heroum was
supp'osed to bound the northern point. But
in times of high antiquity the bay is supposed
to have reached upwards beyond it ; so that
the Israehtes, being out of reach of their ene-
mies, were in a fair way for Canaan. But
they were ordered to alter their course, and to
journey southward, and they obeyed. Having
thus marched sixty or seventy miles in a con-
trary direction, they afforded an opportunity
for the Egyptians , at last to approach them. .
They had advanced in the defile of the present
Mouilt Attakah for some time, when they
perceived the host of Pharaoh approaching in
their rear, and were stopped by the waters of
Clysma in their front, which filled up the
valley of Hiroth. The place of this inunda-
tion, as we have before seen, is now called
by the natives Bede, or, as ' Mr Shaw and
» Neibuhr express it, Bedea. The valley is
now, I believe, by the soil and rubbish brought
down from the mountains on each side, be-
come dry. But it still retains all the marks
of its original state, as Monconys has before
informed us, and has still the appearance of a
large canal. Indeed we may be assured from,

' P. 34.4. =5-P. 34.9.

349

Its name, Kxyo-^^, Clysma, that it was once
an inlet from the sea. Mr Shaw -thinks that
the name is derived from the Arabic^ and
has a relation to the miracle which was there
displayed. But it is manifestly a Greek word,
and relates to an effusion of waters ; in which
signification it bears some analogy with the
other name Bedea. For Bedu, Badu, or Bad,
are to be found in the composition of many
names of places which are noted for ' water.
It was a Greek word, but almost antiquated ;
and wherever it is seen, it occurs in this sense,
It is said also to have been a * Phrygian term,
and also a Thracian, as it is to be found in
Orpheus —

In this line the word Bedu is used as the pure

' Badon, Baden, Buda — ^are places denominated from their
baths. The city of Bath was of old called Badon, and Ba-
thon : from whenpe the modern term is derived. Lambarde
accordingly stiles it Baddanbyrig, Caer-badun, Badonicus
Mons, and in the Saxon Chronicle it is stiled simply Badon.

xaMii. Clemens, Strom. I. 5. p. 673.

' See Clemens above— arid Orphic. Fragmenta, xix. p.
384. Gesner. It was preserved in some ancient invoca-
tions at Miletus. EsSti, Z«4'> ^Sm, Trhm^tv, Zifiiyl. r.. r. K

Clemens, ibid. See Bentley's learned Epistle to Mills, Ap-
pendix to J. Malala, p. 48.

350

element of water. And another ancient writer,
whom he stiles Dion Thutes, introduces the
word, when he mentions the pouring of water
upon his hands — xat Bs^u XaSm kcctu •j^st^m
xaToty^iov. Another writer says — » ^EKkhv ro
Bs^v (TtDTTi^tov T^onrsv^O''[ii>Bt:i- I long to (^u-aff tkc
salutary stream. The word often relates to
warm and medicinal fountains, with which

■ Ij. 5. p, 673.

Clemens says, that in this place it signifies «« ««j», the airs
which I know not how to believe ; for it is not probable
that the same word should betoken two different elements*
The line is taken from a passage in the comic writer Phily-
deus ; the whole of which is as follows : —

Oa-sg fsey»ro» sro vyiuccg fu^e;,
To ro.v i&ip IXkiiv KciSxpav^ a ti&6hMtMVdv,

To me the last line «eems to have been not accurately qiiOt.'
ed : and the terms owsj in the farnier lirte and t« tov in the
latter do not quite correspond, nor form a true grammatical
connection. I should therefore read in .the last instance foi*
TO To» — tovt'. The person, who speaks, seems to be wishing
for two things, which are essential to health, — and accord*
ingly says —

OTtig fttyi^tf tin uyUMi ftigov

Ton «,!g liixiii Kuitigoi 8 TiScXuftivoi.
Mt/ prayer h, that I may drink of nvholesome niiater, ivhich has
the greatest share in the preservation of matf s health; and to
breathe the pure air, free from all nopiious mixture. Clemens
above.

351

the coast of the Red-sea abounded. Therfe
are at this day several springs both of hot and
salt water in this ' valley. Hence Bedea and
Clysma, however they seem to be nearly of
the same purport, may in some degree differ.
Bedea is a place of springs and baths, Clysma,
is denominated from an inlet and inundation.
But whatever may have been the express
meaning of the name, it is manifest from
Ptolemy, that at Bedea must have been the
ancient Clysma ; and at this place was the in--
let of the sea between the mountains of Hi-
roth, which obstructed the passage to the south.
Here the children of Israel were stopped, be-
ing g;ot into a narrow pass, to which there
was no outlet. They were therefore obliged
to encamp by the side of it, having the in-
undation to their right, and the sea in their
front, and Baal-zephon upon the opposite
shore. It is said, that Pharaoh was seen ap-
proaching in the very article of their encamp-
ing, and, as it is intimated, about the even-
ing. And the children of Israel lift up their
eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after
them, and they were sore afraid :- And they

• See the Map of Mons. D'Anville, and his Description du
Golfe Arabique.

352

said unto Moses, Because there were no grave's
in -Egypt^ Tiast thou taken us away to die in the
wilderness P wherefore hast thou dealt thus with

us, to carry us forth out of Egypt f And

Moses said, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the
solvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you
to-day : for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-
day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Exod. xiv. 10, 11,18- We may well imagine
how great the anxiety of the people must have
been who had not true faith in their leader,
and saw no possible means for their escape.
Night now came on, which must have en-
creased their horrors and their murmurs
against Moses. At last the word of command
was given, and the Lord spake unto Moses,
who seems to have been looking up to heaven
for assistance. Wherefore \ criest ihoii to me ?
speak unto the children of Israel, thai they go for-
ward. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out
thine hand over the sea, and divide it ; and the
children of Israel shdll go on dry ground through
the midst of the Jiea. And I, behold I will harden
the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow
them : and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh,
and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon
his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that
I am the Lord.

353

The Transit.

The situation to which the Israelites were
reduced rendered them very fit for marching.
For the strait .in wliich they were confined
necessarily brought them to the disposition of
a long extended army. As soon as they were
ordered to face about to the east, they could
all move in fair front, and uniformly make
their way. For had they gone lengthways
and by files, it must, according to the com-^
mon course of operations, have taken up a
very long time to have arrived together at any
place of destina^tion, so great wer? their num-
bers. It seems to have been dark night when
they set out, at which time the sea miracu-
lously divided. And the angel of God, which
went before the camp of Israel, removed and went
behind them : and the pillar of the cloud went
from before their face, and stood behind them i
and it came between the camp of the Egyptians,
and the camp of Israel: and it was a cloud and,
darkness to them, but it gave light by night to
these : so that the one came not near the other all
the night. And the chiWen of Israel went in-
to the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: mi

Aa

354

the waters were a wall uritq them on their right
hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pur-
sued, and went in after them^ to the midst of the
sea, even all Fhamoh's horses, his chariots, and
Ms horsemerif And it came to pass, that in the
morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the
Igyptians through the pillar of fire and of the
cloud, and troubled, the host of the Egyptians, and
took off their char iot^whe els, tJ^af they drave them
heamly> \% is probable that, when the Egyp^
tians \yere thus troubled and disordered, they
did not fpllow the regular way of those wKorn
they pursued, but got among the' rocks and
mud, and those other impediments with which^
the Red-sea particularly abounds. These
brake their wheels and disabled their chariots,
so that they made little way. The Egyptians
therefore qried out, Let us flee from the face of
Israel, for the Lord fight eth for them against the
Egyptians. This happened at the third ' watch
of the night, some time before the dawn ot

' There were four Vatches-j— j"!/?,' ^Es-^yvxTtx, «xsKTg«'»?«i'<«.
jrjai. See Mark xiii. 35.

Homer divides the night into three watches ; Ulysses say^
to Diomede :

n«gy;t;ilM» Js 9rAe«v »i;|

Iliad. K. V. 253.

355

day. After they had been for a season, dur-
ing the darkness in which they were involved,
encountering with these jdifficulties, The Lord
said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the
sea ; that the waters may come again upon the
Egyptians. And Moses stretched forth his hand
over the sea ; and the sea returned to his strength
when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians
fled against it : and the Lord overthrew the Egyp'
tians in the midst of the sea. And the waters
returned, and covered the chariots and the horse-
men, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into
the sea after them : there remained not so much

as one of them. And Israel saw that great

work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians :
and the people feared the Lord, and his servunt
Moses. Exodus xiv, ^'

Other Objections considered

As it was the purpose of Gtod to set apart
the children of Israel for a particular people,
among whom his church was to be main-
tained, and to whom the divine oracles were
to be committed, it was proper to wean them
from their attachment to Egypt and their
Aa 2

356

fondness for the superstitions of that countr^y.
And nothing could tend more, to effect this^
than his shewing his superiority over all their
deities, and his judgments upon their votaries,
who had so cruelly and unjustly enslaved his
people. It is observable, that the place op-
posite to which they passed over was called
Eaal-zsephon. This was probably a place . of
worship, designed for the use of mariners,
where stood the. statue or .hieroglyphic of
some serpentine deity, the supposed guardian
of those seas. The children of Israel may
have been, particularly directed towards this
part of the coast, that they might see farther
the futility of such worship. This must have
been the consequence when, in the morning,
the^ beheld the dead bodies of the Egyptians
lying upon the beach, almost withiti the pre-
cincts of the idolatrous inclosure. Thus the
Lord saved Israel that day ; and Isrfiel saw the
Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. Exod. xiv. 30.
Mr Neibuhr, in his jouri;ieying upon the
eastern coast of the §inus toward^ Mount Si-
nai, observed two openingsi between the high
moiantains oil the opposite side to the west.
The, uppernQost of these I have mentioned, a^
foriniiig at the bottom X\i& true Clysma of

357

of Ptolemy, called now Bedea. Niebtihr saySj
that this opening (which is the Phi-Hiroth of
the Scriptures) was directly opposite to the
part of the region called Etti ; of which name
he mentions both a plain and a ' mountain.
This place, there is great reason to think, was
the Etham of Moses; up6n the border of
which the children of Israel had encamped)
and where they again arrived, after their pas-
sage through the Red-sea. But our author
still thinks that they did not pass over here*
For th&ugh I must own, he says, that the bay
is here somewhat more contracted than in
other ^places, » Je la crois neanmoins et trop
large, et trop -profonde, pour que Moyse I'ait
fait passer aux "Israelites dans cet endroit la;
He cannot bring himself to consider that Mo-
ses was not the chief agent, and that these
operations were not carried on at his pleasure,
but at the direction of the Almighty. He
does not seem to know that one act of Divine
power is equivalent to another, and that the
separating of Jordan, which was not proba-
bly an hundred yards over, was as much a mi-
racle as dividing the sea, of whatever breadth.

• Where Pliny places the Arabes Autsei, 1. 6. p. 341.

* Voyage, T. 1. p. 184.

358

They were both to the Deity equally easy^
—-The author has fortunately given us the
breadth of the sinus about twenty miles below
Suez, as he took it upon the eastern coast.
This rtiust have been nearly th6 spot where
the Israelites first came upon land in the de-
sert of Etham. ' Dans le dessein de mesurer
la largeur du Golfe Arabique, je m' eloignai
le 24° Septemb. de la caravane, environ a une
distance de cinq milles au sud de Sues, et dans
la plaine d' Etti, ou Tuerik, comme disoit I'un
des nos Arabes. D'aprSs mes observations,
et mon calcul, je la trouvai etre a peu pr^s de
trois milles d' * Allemagne : mais cette fois ci
encore je ne pu former une base assez longue
pour donner k mon mesurage toute I'exacji-
tude requise.

I should be sorry ta detract from the ho-
nours due to this excellent Danish traveller,
by whose diligence and sagacity the world has
profited greatly. It is only in this one article,
that I presume ta differ from him ; and this I
have done with more confidence, and as he
sometimes seems himself not to be perfectly

' Voyage, T, 1. p. 202.
* About twelve English miles.

^ Je n' ose pas rejetter entierement una opinion adoptee
par tant de savans. Arable, p. SSI.

359

determined* I have at the same time paid
little regard to the opinions of the modern
Arabs, and to the names which they assign
to • places, unless they have the sanction of
antiquity. For we are told by Mr Neibuhr,

* Si r en faUoit croir les relations des A-

rabes qui habitent a V est du golfe, ks enfans d'
Israel auroient pais.ee la Mer Rouge toujours a

F etidroit precis, ou on leurfait la question. ^

s Ainsi les traditions et les rappvrtes contra-^
dictoires des Arabes du commun ne sont ici d!
aucune vakir. However, where there are
names of long standing, and accounts inci^
dentally introduced by authors who knew
not the original history, and consequently
could have no system to maintain, their evi-^
dence must necessarily have weight, and de-
mand our attention. Such is the evidence of
■♦ Diodorus Sieulus, who mentions the tradi-

' Upon this account I take no notice of the fountains neaif
Suez, though they are stiled by the Arabs the fountains of
Moses ; for there is no reason to think that they were ever
visited by that person ; the place where the Israelites passed
over being far below. , Les menies Arabes, qui nous avoient
, dit auparavant, que les enfans d' Israel avoient passe la Mer
Rouge pres d' Aijun Musa, nous dirent alors, que c'etoit
dans le voisinage de Girondeh Niebuhr, Voy. T. 1. p. IS**

» Arable, p. 348. ' ibid. p. 349.

* Diodorus, 1. 3. p. 1 74.

S60

tions whieh prevailed among the people upon
the coast, that the Red-sea upon a time re-
tired in a wonderful manner, and left the
channel dry. The region also will often htar
witness for itself. For when travellers arrive,
at that part of the bay where the Israelites are
supposed after their transit to have been en-
gaged,, they find names of places, and other
memorials which greatly illustrate and con-
firm the sacred history. It is sai4, that they
came into the region of Etham, which is still
called ' Etti, the inhabitants of which were
the AutEei of Pliny. Here also at this day is
the wilderness of Sdur and Sin, and-ihe re-
gion of Paran. Beyond .Corondel is a hill
called Gibel Al ' Marah, aind the coast down-
ward seems to have the same name as it had
of old, from the bitter waters with which it
Still abounds ; the inhabitants of which were
probably the Maranaei of Pliny. The names
of Elath and Midian also remain, and are men-
tioned by ' Abulfeda. Belo^y this region are

' Niebuhr, above.

* Pocbckj p. 1 56. Shaw, 349. Not far from hence tlie
desert still called Sin, p. 350.

^ Geog. Gr. Minores, v. 3. p. 73. He also alludes to the
people of Teman, p. 43.

361

the palm-trees and the twelve wells of water in
Elim—Sa Moses brought Israel from th Red-
sea^ and they went out into the wilderness of
Shur ; and they went three days in the wilder-
ness^ and found no wat6r. And when they came
to Marak, they could not drink of the waters of
Marah; for they were bitter: therefore the

name of it was called Marah. Here the Lord

sJiewed to Moses a tree^ which he cast into the

waters^ and they were made sweet. And

they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of
water, and threescore and ten palm-trees : and
they encamped there by the waters. Exod. xv.
22, 23, 27- This encampment was towards
the lower part of the bay ; and after the Is-
raelies had been journeying from their place
of passage several days. For they were three
days without water, and upon the fourth they
came to Marah, and sometime afterward ar-
rived at ' Eiim. Diodorus * Siculus gives an
account of this palm groVe, as it was described
by Ariston, who was sent by Ptolemy to descry
the coast of Arabia upon the Red-sea. He
calls it the Phoenicon, and says that it lay up-
on the western side of the desert, at some dis-
tance from an island denominated Phocarum

' Exodus XV. 27. ■• Diodorus 1. 3. p. 175.

362

Insula, the same which is now called Tiran ;
consequently the grove Phoenicon must have
been towards that part of the bay. The place
was held in great reverence 6n account of
these palms, which grew there in great num-
bers ; and a man and a woman were consti-^
tuted as a • priest and priestess to preside there.
All the country around is exposed to violent
heats, and is destitute of good water. But in

this spot 8» oKiyai 'jr^iyai xat KiCcx/^ig sx-jtit-

rovfftv e» avToi, ipv^^ortiTt j^iovog s^sk KsiTOfAifoi —
there are a number of springs^ and scantlings of
waters, which fall as cool to the^ taste as * snow.
Just above this part of the desert he places the
^ Maranaei. These were the ancient inhabi-

' Diodurus above. See also Agatharchides Geog. Grseci
Min. V. 1. p. 57.

» Diodorus Sitr. 1. 3. p. 175.

3 In these names, I think, we may see traces of the an-
cient Marah, as well as of the Gerandienij in Corbndel;
which probably was denominated from the latter people.
The engravings upon the rocks seem still to remain, as such
were seen by Mons. Monconys just in this part of the desert,
as he was returning from Mount Sinai. A la fin du valon
il y a quailtlte de grosses rOches ; sur lesquelles il y a des
characteres graves, et des lignes entieres d' ecriture : et a
plusieurs des-grandes il y a des huit, ou dix lignes : amon
avis ces lettres ont ete faites avec des eaux fortes ; et non pas
avec le ciseau ; tant a cause de k diverse deuleur, qu' elles

363

tants,, but were slain by the Garandaei, who
by an act of great treachery got possession of
the palm-grove and fountains. Here likewise
is the desert of ' Faran, the Pharan of Pto-
lemy; which in its situation agrees precisely
with the Paran of the scriptures. Diodorus
further speaks of some rocks or pillars here,
engraven with unknown characteristics. The
same history of this Phoenicon, or palm-grove,
and the fountains, is given by ' Strabo, who
places it rather low upon the coast, and says,
that the next object towards the bottom was
the Insula Phocarum. These must have been
the fountains mentioned by Moses, and a con-
tinuation of the same palms, unless we sup-
pose the nature of the country to have been
altered. For we do not read that there was
any other part of the region which had either

ont, etant extremement jaunes, qu' a cause du pet de profon-
deur, que I'oeil ne s9auroit reconnoitre : et pour en etre cer-
tain, il fallut qui j'y employasse le doigts. Neanmoins ces
lettres ne sent point gatees, et paroissent fort nettes. v 1.
p. 449, 450. Pocock. p. 148.

' La vallee de Girondel, de meme que celle de Faran,
Niebuhr, Arabic, p. 346, 347.

Waad Pharan in the way to Tor. Pocock. p. 141. See
also p. 1 57.The promontory below, called now Ras Mo-
hammed, is the Akj«it)ijioii <5«5<eii of Ptolemy.

» L. 16. p. lias-;

364

such a grove of trees or such waters. Thus it
was in the time of the Israehtes, and so it was
found to be in the time of Strabo and Diodorus;
and thus we find it at this day. Strabo gives
a reason why this Httle district was so much
honoured and frequented. — ' Aiex, to Tatrav rfjv

Yjiiv. — Because all the country about was parch-
ed up with heat, being without water, and with-
out a tree, thdt could afford shade.

Monconys, in his return through the de-
sert from Mount Sinai, took a lower way to
the south towards a place called now Tor,
where seems to be the district described by
Strabo and Diodorus, near Paran. He men-
tions a valley which he passed through, and in
this valley towards the end he saw the rocks
with ancient inscriptions; and at last came
to a plac^, which he seems very justly to sup-
pose the Elim of the scriptures situe au

fonds de cete plaine on bord de la mer et ou

sont les douze *" fontaines. He adds ces

eaux vont arrosant une quantite de beaux pal-
miers, fermes de murailles ; et qui sont bien
augmentes en nombre au dela des septante,
que Moyse y trouva. He tells us however,

' L. 16. p. 1122. » p. 450, 4..51.:

365

that the waters are at this day by no means of
a good taste. — ' C'est en ce lieu, ou Moyse
trouva les douze Fontaines, et les (^eptante)
palmiers. On y voit encore les douze fon-
taines, ou sources, qui sortent du pie de la
jnontagne. Elles on un assez mauvais go^t..
aussi y a-t-il la un petit bain chaud,
qu'on nomme de Moyse. Strabo * intimates,
that the waters were in the time of Artemi-
dorus very good ; and from the Israelites en-
camping near them we may infer the same
of them then. But this is not an article of
much consequence. For all that we are told
by Moses is, that at the place where they ar-
rived they found twelve wells and seventy
palm-trees. The fountains remain precisely
the same in number, and the palm-trees are
not extinct; on the contrary,' theiy are multi-
plied. Notwithstanding what Monconys says,
travellers take notice of fountains of good wa-
ter, though mixed with qthers of an inferior
quality, as we learn from Dr Pocock. He
visited this district, and says, that in going
southward towards Tor, and about a league

" P. 450. They are called Hammam Mousa. Shaw,
p. 350.

* <lf»<ri h (yivn^a nturtM ruTo (to Tltffliifov) Ton EXaf*ins fiii}icu.
irviivit 9t Tov n«7ei?i» (fmviKum iimi ivvi^ot. 1. 16. p. 1122.

S66

from it towards the north — ' there is a well
of 'good water ; and all about it are a great num-
ber of date-trees or palms, and several springs
of salt water, especially, to the south-east, where
the monks have a garden. Near it are several
springs (as we may infer of good water),
and a bath or two, which are called the baths
of Moses. The Greeks, as well as some others,
are of opinion that this is Elim. To the
same purpose is the evidence of the traveller
Breitenbach, as He is quoted by Mr Niebuhr.
Mr de Breitenbach a deja eu la meme pen-
see Voici ce qu'il dit en parlant du voyage,
qu'il fit en 1483, de la montagne de Sinai a,
Kahira, Porro inclinata jam die ; in torren-
tem incidimus, dictum Orondem ; ubi figen-
testentoria propter aquas, quae ibi reperieba:A-
tur, nocte man§imus ilia : sunt enim in loco
isto plures fontes vivi, aquas claras scaturientes.
Sunt et palmae multse ibi ; und'e suspicabamur
illic ese desertum Helim.

It may perhaps be thought that these names
were introduced by Christian travellers, and
adopted by the later inhabitants of these parts.
But this could not have been the case. Aris-

■ Pocock, p. 141.

^ Niebuhr, vol. 1. p. 183. in the notes,

367

ton, Artemidorus,, Agatharchides, and Dio-
dorus, all lived before the sera of Christiani-
ty. Even Strabo was some years antecedent.
The learned Abulfeda of Hamath was indeed
much later ; but he could have no regard for
the religion of Jesus or of the Jews, nor any
prejudice in favour of Moses. The names
therefore have remained from the beginning
unimpaired, and the situation of the places
which they point out correspond so precisely
with those mentioned in the scriptures, and
are supported by such indisputable authority,
that they appear manifestly to be the same
as those mentioned by the sacred historian.

Review of the Course taken by the Children of
Israel in their journeying.

We have seen how very regular and plain
the route of the children of Israel is found to
be from their setting out upon the fifteenth
day of the first month to their arrival at Elim.
From Rameses they journeyed to Succoth,
and from Succoth to Etham, to the border
of that wildernesss. Then they removed from
Etham^ and turned again unto Fiha^Hiroth, and

368

passed thvojtgh the midst of the sea into the same
wiidemess. Numb, xxxiii. 7. From the place
where they first halted after their passage over
the sea, they marched for three days without
water, and arrived upon the fourth at Marah,
where the bitter waters were miraculously
made sweet, but have now returned to their
native bitterness. From hence they journeyr
ed, as is generally supposed, in one day to
Elim, though the time is not specified, and
may have been longer. Here were the twelve
wells of water, and the threescore and ten
palm-trees ; and they encamped by the waters.
How long they staid in each place is uncertain,
for they were not carried in a direct line to
Sinai, but were led about, so that they did not
reach the mount of pod till after several en-
campments from" Etham, which took up two
months, wanting a few days. After they had
removed from ELim, it is said that they encamped
^by the Red-sea, Indeed all their stations
hitherto had been nearly upon that sea. But
they now came to a part of the coast in the.
desert of Paran, where there was no way to
mark the place of their encampment but by
saying it was upon the sea-shore b6ypnd Elim.
They now fronted the true Red-sea, for they

369

Were before only upon a bay of it ; which,
sea extended from them in length southward
not less than eleven hundred miles. The
next course which they took w&s to the north
and more inland ; for it is said) that ' they
removed from the Red-'seat and encamped in the
wilderness of Sin, which was * between Elim
and Sinai- This happened just one month
after their departure from Egypt j and it was
here that manna was first afforded them from
heaven. They were now very near to the
place where the law was to be given to them;
but this was still delayed, and they were to be
farther tried. We accordingly read in the
book of the Exodus, that they pitched in
' Rephidim, having jourueyed from 4he wilder-
ness of Sin. But it is said in the book of
Numbers, that there were two interme-
diate encampments j for *they took their Jour-
ney out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamp-
ed in Dophkah ; and they departed from Doph-
•kah, and encamped in Alush. And they remov-
ed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim. And
they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in
the wilderness of Sinai. This I mention

• Numbers xxxiii. 11* * Exodus xvi. 1.

3 E.\odu8 xvii. 1. * Number* xxxiiii 12, 13, 14.

Bb

370

to shew how far north they must have gone
to have made this circuit ; for they approach-
ed to the borders of the Amalekites, who
came out and ' pursued them to Rephidim.
Here a battle was fought, and the Israehtes
were miraculously preserved. Here also the
people murmured for want of water ; when
Moses was ordered to take his rod, » and be-
hold, saith the Lord, / will stand before thee
there upon the rock in Horeb / and thou shall
smite the rock, and there shall come "water out of
it, Is'c. — j4nd Moses did so in the sight of^ the'
elders of Israel. And he called the name of the
place Massah, ^Meribah, because of the chiding of

' Then came Amaleh, and fought luith Israel in Rephidimi-.
Exod. xvii. 8.

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when ye
were come forth out of Egypt. How he met thee by the way,
and smote the- hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind
thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
Dent. XXV. 17, 18.

* Exodus xvii. 5, 6, 7.

' I should think, that the name Metibah has been wrongly
introduced here ; and was originally the marginal note of
some scribe. The chiding of the people at Meribah was
many years afterwards in the desert of Zin near Cadish. It.
was after the death of Miriam, and just before the death of
Aaron in Mount Hor. The murmuring at Massah was in
the second month y but the disobedience at Meribah was in

371

the children of Israel. From hence the Israelites
were conducted to Sinai, where they abode
a great while ; during which time the law,
amidst a wonderful display of glory and terror,
was given to the people through the hands of
Moses. From these circumstances, I should
judge that Rephidim was to the north of Ho-
reb, and that Horeb was in some degree to
the north of Sinai. For the people in their
return downwards from Amaleck came first
to Rephidim, which was before Horeb, and
then'-r"' — » pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.

Thus much I thought prbper to mention
concerning the . journeying of the children
of Israel, as far as Mount Sinai, and con-
cerning those places through which their jour-
nies lay. •

^p-st. Numb. XX. 1. Aaron seeliis to have participated

in the guilt; for it is said-^ Aaron shall be gathered unto

his people; for he shall net enter into the land which I haw given
unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my -word
at th water of Meribah, ver. 24. and he died accordingly
soon after his sister Miriam.

' Numb, xxxiii. 15.-- Mons. D'Anville places Horeb

north-west of Sinai.

Bb s

372

Farther Observations upon the Phoenicon, or Grove
of Palms, as it is described by Strabo.

One of the first persons, who gave an ac-
count of this part of Arabia, was ' Artemi-
dorus Ephesius, who lived about the time of
Ptolemy Lathyrus, and his mother Cleopatra.
He is mentioned by many authors with great
credit, and is copied particularly by Strabo
and Diodorus. And in the description which
he gives, he seems to have followed a prior
writer, * Ariston, who was sent out by one
df the antecedent Ptolemies purposely to make
discoveries upon the two coasts of the Red-sea.
The account which is given by Artemidorus,
concerning that part of Arabia Deserta with
which we are chiefly concerned, has already
been mentioned. But as the ancient geogra-
phers are not always sufficiently clear, and as
there seems likewise to be a mistake in Strabo,
or at least in the present copies of that excel-
lent writer, it will be proper to rectiJFy what

' Strabo,!. 16. p. 1122.

* See Diodorus, 1. 3. p. 175. He was Sent in the time of
Ptolemy Euergetes, as we find intimated by the same author,
1. 3. p. 155.

373

is amiss, that the history may not be left in a
state of uncertainty.

After that Artemidorus has given an ac-
count of the Ethiopians, and the western coast
of the Red-sea from Arsinoe at the top down
to the straits, now called Babel Mandel, where
it terminates, he returns to the point where
he began, to the apex of the western bay of
the Red-sea (' iTrxvus-tv eis rsg AgaCoig) to those '
Arabians, who occupied the opposite region
to Clysma. And as there are very few ob-
jects upon that coast which merit geographi-
cal notice, he takes the first which presents
itself, though at a distance from the point
from which he sets out. This is * Posidium,
a place sacred to the supposed sovereign of the
sea, which I take to be another name for the
Baalzephon of Moses. Next to this, Strabo,
who copies Artemidorus, places the ' Phoeni-

con, where was the palm grove siff ilm ^

Sffi vriffog ♦ (pcDxaiv, and next in order the Insula
Phocarum. All this is as precise and in as just
order as can be desired, But he at the same
time tells us of Posidium, the place dedicated

' Strabo,!. 16. p. 1122. * Ibid.

3 —avvt^il TV neriiim <boivMafet ln»t. Ibid.

♦ Ibid, called now Teran ; and Isle de Cab.

3T4

to Neptune — ■ (pjjo-i $g sv^ors^n xuff&m thito ■rap
l^Kavirpv fJt'Vy^s. It lay^ as ArtemidoTus asserted^
a good way within the Mlaaitic or 'Eastern Gulf.
This seems impossible, and confounds all that
has been said ; for the sinus upon,whicl:| these
places were situated was the western, and
called the Heroppolitan, and directly opposite
to the Elantic, Strabo however goes on to
inform us, that next after this island (Phqcar
rum) a promontory ex:tends itself, from whence
the coast tends inward towards Arabia Eetrsea
and the Nabatheans. E<t' EXacir/s ;*eXw?j,xa/
^ NaSara/a. Then^ says the author, next in
order comes the Elanitic gulf aud,the Nabatheaj^
region. The promontory here spqken of is
that which is called Pharan by Ptolenay, of
which we have spoken before. He says, that
the western part of this desert reached frpm
the city Heroum, ? ^^XS' "^^ n.a.ra, )P««ff** a-x^ia-
Tfigis ; and , he also mentions xuf/^ti <pctgoiv, a
town or village of that name ; frojn which
probably the wilderness was denominated.
Ptolemy addsj and with him Strabo, and all
writers agree, that at this point the Sinus Ela-

• Sttabo, 1. ie. p. U22.

* p. 162. ' Stephanus speaks also of a cify— i^a^w irchis

375

liitis commenced ; and they certainly describe
it very truly. But how can Posidium, which
had been mentioned before as being within
the western sinus, and one of the first objects
in the desert of Etham be referred to the op-
posite and eastern inlet, the Sinus Elanitis.
There must be a mistake in Strabo, or in Ar-
temidonjs, I make no doubt but vy^hen Aris-
ton and other travellers described this part of
Arabia, they gave tho^e names to the places
which prevailed among the natives, befote
they were sophisticated by later writers. In-
stead of placing Posidium and the Grove of
Palms (^^otvfxaiv) iv r^ EXavwj; xo'kiru, in the Ela-
nite gulf; they placed it iv rat Exa/A<rw, or Ex<-
.fjkira) xoK^a, in the Sinus J^lamitis, or gulf of Elim,
so called from the natives.

There were very few places of any consi-
deration on this coast, on account of the bar-
. renness of the soil and the scarcity of water.
The region however below Posidium near the
Phoenicon, or palm groves, is described by
Diodorus as being in those times populous,
and , frequented on account of the plenty of
good water and the fertility of the soil. Aijid
it seems in still more early times to have been
pf repute, as an ancient altar is mentioned <jf

S76

unknown ' characters, which witnessed its an-
tiquity. As there is the greatest reason to
think that this place was the Elim of Moses,
and as it was the only district of consequence
upon the coast, it is highly probable that it
gave name to that part of the gulf, which
-from hence was by the natives called Sinus
Elamites, or EHmites, th Gulf of Elim,

The mistake in the copies of Strabo has
misled that excellent geographer * Mons. D'
Anville, who accordingly places Posidium
close by the promontory Pharan, the Ras
Mohammed of the present times. Here is
the extremity of the desert to the south, the
very point below where the two gulfs on each
pide cpinmence, and pass upwards, But this
of all others could not be the place where Po-
sidium was situated. For to whichever gulf
it may have belonged, it is expressly said to
have been---£!>JoT8^a) ts (/Myja, higher up' and with-
in the sinus ; and consequently could not have
been at the bottom, Artemidprus introduces it

' Diodprus Siculus, I. 3. p. 1 75,

* Ce prpmontoire forme par 1' extreipite du continent, qui
separe les deux golfes, est le Posidium, ou Neptunium,d es
memes auteurs, appele Phajra dans Ptolefnee, &c. ftfemoir^
gjir 1' Iggypte, p. ?37,

377

as the very first plae« which occurred upon, the
coast of ' Arabia, and brings other places in a
regular series after it, as he proceeds from
north to south, mentioning Posidiura^ Phceni-
con. Insula Phocarum, and then the promon-
tory Pharan. We may therefore perceive
plainly that it was situated upon the Sinus
Heroopolitanus, and just above the grove of
palms.— irvn^ri h t« Hotrstha (piomitma umi svv^~
§ov. Next to Posidium was the palm-grove, which

place is abuifidanily -watered rKriffiov ^ aurris

UK^airnsiov, hiKTeivst tig rtiv Ils7§rx,v, — Eir EXavitig
KoXTTog. Then came the promontory, which ex-
tended toward Petra j and after this was the
Sinus Elanitis, or Gulf of Elath — far removed
from the grove before mentioned, and fi'om
Posidium, which was above it. Here it was
that Ariston, in the course of his discoveries,
built the altar, of which ^ Diodorus Siculus
takes notice. This, 1 imagine, was erected
by him in honour of the ancient deity of that
part of the world, @ea> ey^u^tu, who was the
reputed guardian of the sea. In consequence

' Af^ccfuuf aire Ileriiiin. Ibid.
»Strabo,l. 16. p. 1122.

ITsAeyM ia/ttf A^irim, th vi/tipiitrts inrt IlrtXtftiun ir^es x«T<»rx«.-
Trny td; Ins VKUCVg vep^n^^rilf AfttileK. 1. S. p. 175.

3T§

o£ this he called the place after the Grecian
manBer Posidium, the same probably in pur-
port as Baal-rzephon ; which place of worship
of old was higher upon the same coast, and
opposite to Clysma.

Conclusiqn concerning the journeying of the
Israelites.

The distance of time is so great, and the
scene of action so remote, and so little fre-
quented, that one would imagine there could
have been no traces obtained of such very
early occurrences. It must therefore raise
within us a kind of religious reverence for
the sacred writer, when we see such eviden-
ces still remain of his wonderful history. We
read of expeditions undertaken by Osiris, Se-
sostris, Bacchus, Vexoris, Myrina, Semiramis,
and the Atlantians, into different parts of the
world. But no vestige remains of their operar
tions, no particular history of their appulse,
in any region upon e^rth. We have in like
manner accounts of Brennus, as well as of the
Teutones, Cimbri, and Ambrones ; also of
^he Goths and Visigoths ; ai;d of other swarms

379

from the great hive in the nortk ; all which
axe better authenticated. Yet we have x»nl^
a general history of their migrations. The
places from whence they Dirigijially (carae,
^nd the par^culaojs of their jownej^ing^ ha-we
been effaced for ages. The history recoiDded
by Moses appears like a brigfet, but remote
.<A)ject, seen through the glass of an exoeltenjt
opikian, clear, distinct, and weli defined.
But when we looik. back upon the accounts
transmitted concerning the Assyrians, Egyp-
tians, Medes and Scythians, or those of the ear-
ly ages of Italy and Greece, we find nothing
but a series of incredible and inconsistent
events, and groupes of strange beings ;

Abortive, monstrous, and unkindly mix'di
Gorgons, and harpies, and chimseras dire.

The ideas which they afford are like the fan-
tastic forms in an evening cloud, where we
seem to, descry castles and mountains, and gi-
gantic appearances. But while we gaze the
forms die away, and we are soon lost in gloom
and uncertainty. Concerning the Israelites
we have a regular and consistent history.
And though they were roving in a desert for
forty years, and far removed from the rest of

380

the world, yet we have seen what manifest
tokens remain of their journeying and mira-
culous preservation.

This external proof may appear to some
not very entertaining, nor perhaps necessary ;
as the internal has been shewn to be very co-
pious ; and, as I flatter myself, strong and
convincing to a degree of demonstration.
Yet to every curious and well disposed mind,
I hope, that this too will be found satisfac-
tory, and have its due weight.

JOURNIES

OF

MONSIEUR MONCONYS

AND OE •

DR POCOCK.

JOURNIES, &c

The Journey of Mom, Monconys, 1647, by the
lowest and most Southern Road, to Suez and
th€ Red Sea. Vol. I. p. 405.

April 14. Depart from their caravansary
through the desert at five o'clock— and travel
a quarter of a league ; then mount their ca-
mels, and travel for three hours.

1 5. Set out at six, and travel for three hours
on foot; then mount their camels, and in
two hours arrive at a plain.

Iti. At sun-rise travel three hours on foot.
Arrive at a valley, and a well called Gian
Dabi. ,After dinner go through another val-
ley, which looked like the bed of a river, and
abounded with shells ; pass through pieces of
plain ground, which seemed covered with fine
sand.

17. Pass over some more plain ground, and
arrive at eleven at the beginning of some
mountains. After dinner travel between the

384

mpuntains, in a road thirty or forty paces
wide, till they arrive at a large spot of plain
ground, which reached to the sea; and in
about three hundred paces from the entrance
afforded a fine prospect. Travelled in this
opening till eight at night.

18. Travel in this valley for an hour on
foot, which began to be more and more con-
tracted between the mountains, and appeared
very much like an artificial canal ; only much
too wide for a work of art, being nearly two
leagues wide. At eleven they came to the
end of it, which terminated at the Red-sea.
(N. B. This valley is the same as- the ancient
Clysnia, now called Bedea, and runs from
west to east.) Here, upon the border of the
sea, they dined; and then turned to the left
and towards the north, and coaste4 the Red-
sea till the evening. — Nous marchames vers Ic
nord, laissant les montagnes au couchant, et
la mer du cote du levant.

This part of the coast between the moun-
tains and the sea, which they. went over after
their turn to the left and to the north, is, as
I have supposed, the place of the encamp-
ment, where the Israelites halted before their
transit through the sea.

385

19- Set out at day-break, and in nine hours
arrive at Suez,, the ancient Arsinoe, which is
situated at the northern point of the Red-sea^

The Journey o/'.Mons. Moncqnys to St Catha-
rine's, at Mount Sinai. P. 412.

April 20. Set out at day-break, and in se-
ven hours arrive at the fountains stiled the
Fountains pf Moses. The water hot and salt.

2 1 . Pass through a plain between the rnoun-,
tains to the east, and the sea to the west, up-
on the right hand.

a2. Pass through a plain country between
mountains for two hours, and then come to
a fine spring and small rivulet of water ; but
he thinks it could not have been that called
Mara, on account of its distance,
. 23. Set out before day, and pass through
fine valleys between higher grounds. Some
of these abounded with casia. Found some
good water.

24, Set out half an hour after sun-rise, and
come to difficult ways.

25. Proceed in their .journey, but refresh
themselves under the shade of a rnc^untain,
where they repose the greatest part of the day.

Cc

286

26. Set out on foot at six o'clock, and jour-
ney for three hours through a bad road. At
last see the monastery; and passing through a
plain of a league and an half in length, at last
arrive at St Catharine's upon Mount Sinai.

Journey of Moncon ys from St Catharine s back
. again to Suez^ by Tor and the Red-sea. P.
446.

May 2. After dinner set out from St Ca-
tharine's for Tor ; pass through some valleys
for two hours.

3. At six o'clock set out, pass through a
valley with some palm-trees and springs of
water. At the end of the valley, rocks, ^yith
X . engravings, or rather 'with characters
stained deeply into the stone. Soon have
a view of Tor, supposed to be Elim.

5. A monastery subordinate to that of St
Catharine to the north of Tor ; also some
fountains and a large grove of palms, about a
league from the town. C'est en ce lieu, ou
Moyse trouva les douze fontaines, et les (sep-
tante) palmiers. The waters not good, Ces
eaux Yont arrogant upe quantity de beaux pal-^

287

miers, fermes de murailles, et qui sont bien
augmient^ en nombre au dela des septante que
Moyse y trouva.

6. Stay in the place and in its neighbour-
hood.

7. Still remain in these parts ; but set out
in the evening, and go directly north. Come
to watets, which, he says, many people have
taken for those of Mara ; (and, I think, with
great appearance of probability.) The author
is of a different opinion.

8. Set out at seven, and continue to march
north. Obliged to halt an hour and a half.
Set out again and travel till eleven at night.

9. Set out at half past five, and travel till
eleven. After dinner proceed till seven o'-
clock.

10. Begin their route at day-break, and
march by the coast of the Red-sea. Come to
a nitrous fonntain.

11. At half past five set out, and arrive at
the point where the road divided, when they
before turned towards the east in going to
Mount Sinai ; march three hours.

12. Arrive at night at the fountains near
Suez, (called Aijoun Mousa) and there rest.

13. At nine arrive at Suez.

C C 2

388'

Dr Pocock'j- Journey from Cairo to Suez and the
Red-sea, by another Road. P. 130.

Marches. Lay at Keyde Bey.

29. Set out, and ascend Jebel Jehusi ; go
thirteen miles.

30. Set out an hour before day ; come in
eleven hours to a narrow valley called Tearo-
said. In an hour and an half more to Hara
Minteleh, where in the valley seemed to have
been a wall across, probably the remains of a
floodgate to the canal which once passed this
way to the Red-sea.

After sixteen hours saw Adjeroute castle ;
the whole thirty-two hours from Cairo ; or^
as the authors thinks, but twenty^nine. The.
caravan takes a larger compass.

31. Turiied more to the south, through an
hollow Way, to which the sea seemed forrrier-
ly tp have reached. In two hours and an half
come to the well of Suez. • In two hours, more
to Suez. The whole, according to the author,
about seVenty-two English miles.

389

Dr Pocock:*j Journey frdm Stie^ to Tof^ upon
the Red-sea: P. 138.

Days. 1 . To Ein Mouseh, siijiposed hy
some to be the wells of Mosesj in three oi*
four hours i

2. To. the desert of Shedui-, or SHur, for
four or five heurs very ssindy. In three hours
to Birk el Corondel. To thef desert of Shedur^
or Shur, and went on for an hour.

3. To Ouardan. Stayed two hours; Came
to a sandy plain, and in three hours to an
hill of talc ; passed it in two hours, and tra-
velled as many more^ and then had to the
east Jebel Housan, and to the west Jebel le
Mirah, where was a salt spring. The author
thinks it may have been the Mara of the
scriptures. Come to the vale of Corondel^
having travelled eleven hours in all. Beyond
this vale on the sea is Jebel Hamam Phara-
one, and a grotto with a very hot spring.

4. In three hours come to the mountairt
torrent Wouset, and a salt spring with some
palm-trees. In three hours come to Taldi,
where are some date-trees. In three hours
the tomb of a Turkish saint, at a place callgd

390

Heisimah, where was a salt spring. In an
hour ta a narrow vallej, Menetsah; after
which the road, divides, orie part tends to '
Mount Sinai, and the ojther to Tor.

5. Carried out of thg wa,y to the north ;
see a hill called ^it el Pharaone.

6. Return into the road to Tor ; a torrent
called Waa4, Pharan.

7. Turned southward to the plain of Baha-
rani.j travelled thirteen hours,

8. Came to the beginning of the valley oj^
Tor. In three hours tp Nach, el Tor, or the
palm grove of Tor. This grpve about a le^r^
gue north of Tor, \y;here is a well, of good
water ; also many date-trees> and hpt springs>.
Here. is a convent of rnonks,, who. belopg to,
Mpunt Sinai, aod near the convent many
foupt^ins. ; The hot springs, are called the;
Baths of MDsjes,;_ and, tho^ place by the Greeks,,
as. well as by others, supposed, to be the %liw.t
of scripture. Tor is but a small village tp the
south.

' This division of the road, by whicK Dr Pocock turned
ofF south-east toMount Sinai^is much lower than tbatmen«-
tioned by Moncoiiys.

391

Thi Distana ofElimfrom the Fkce of ('avsage.

.According toOvingtoii, the distance of Tor
from Suez is an hundred miles. But as the
elevation of the pole at Suez, accordihg to »
Ni-ebuhr, is 29° S?', and at* Tor 28° 12')
the difference in miles canilot be touch less
than on€ hundred and fifteen. But as Ciyfema^
and the place of landing upoii the opposite
shore, were not less than thirty miles from
Suez; and the palm grove, where we place
Elim, is a league nearer than Tor, the length
of the journey, after deducting these thirty-
three miles, will be eighty-two. And if this
interval was passed over' in five days, the ex-
tent of each day's march will be about seven-
teen miles. And as the children of Israel did
not arrive at Marah till they had been three
days without water, and consequently came
there upon the fourth, we must accordingly
look for tlis place at the distance of ^ four

'" ll. 1. p. 175. » Ibid. p. 208.

' Pocock mentions Gibel al Marah close by Corondel,,
which is at a 'great distance frbm the Marah of the scrip-
tures. But it gwas the name of a region, inhabited of old by
the Maransei, jnd which extended a great way down the
coast.

392

days jourriey from their setting out after their
passage through the sea, and of one day's
journey from the palm grove at Elim ; to
which they came in that space afterwa,rds.

Niebuhr went from Suez to Tor by. sea ;
so that he has afforded us only so much of the
road as he saw in his journey to Mount Sinai;
which is the. part of least consequence. He
has however given us a small map of Tor,,
and of the district near it.

FINIS.

*»• Caw, Frinter, Edinburgh.